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•» FIRST AMERICAN CONGRESS. 








Proceedings of the British Parliament and of the Colonies in 

RELATION TO THE MEASURES WHICH OCCASIONED THE FlKST CoN 

tinental Congress of the North American Colonies, held in 
New-York, in October, 1765. 


1. Passage of the Act of 4 Geo, 111. ch. 1 5, for raising a revenue in 

the Colonies. 


Extractfrom the King's Speech , on the open¬ 
ing of the Session ", November 15,1763. 

“ The improvement of the public revenue, 
by such regulations as shall be judged most 
expedient for that purpose, deserves your 
most serious consideration: this will be the 
surest means of reducing the national debt> 
and of relieving my subjects from those bur¬ 
dens which the expenses of the late war have 
brought upon them; and will, at the same 
time, establish the public credit upon the 
most solid foundation.” 

Extract from the Commons' Address of 
Thanks. 

“Your Majesty maybe assured that we 
will bestow the strictest attention upon that 
interesting subject, which your Majesty has, 


5. T hat a duty of 2,?. per pound weight, 
be laid upon ail wrought silks, Bengals,and 
stuffs mixed with silk or herba, of the manu¬ 
facture of Persia, China, or East India, im¬ 
ported from Great Britian, into the said colo¬ 
nies and plantations. 

6. That a duty of 2s. 6 d. per piece, be laid 
upon ali calicoes, painted, dyed, printed, or 
stained, in Persia, China, or East-India, im¬ 
ported from Great Britain into the said colo¬ 
nies and plantations. 

7. That a duty of 3s per piece, be laid 
upon all foreign linen cloth, called cambric, 
and upon all French lawns imported from 
Great Britain, into the said colonies and plan¬ 
tations. 

8. That a duty of 7s. per cwt. be laid up- 

_ 0 _ ,_ „_on ail coffee, stripped in any British colony 

pointed out to our serious consideration :|or plantation in America, being the place of 
and will diligently weigh every Regulation'the growth thereof, in order to be exported 
w hich may be proposed for the improve-or conveyed to any other place except Great 


mem of the public revenue, as the most effec 
tual method to reduce the national debt, to 
relieve your Majesty’s subjects from the bur¬ 
dens of the late war, and to confirm and 
strengthen the public credit.” 


Britain. 

9. That a duty of one half-penny per pound 
weight, be laid upon all pimento shipped in 
any British colony or plantation in America, 
being the place of the growth thereof, in or- 
to be exported or conveyed to any other place 
Resolutions proposed by the Committee of except to Great Britain 


Ways and Means and agreed to, unani¬ 
mously, by the House, fur raising a re¬ 
venue in the American Colonies. 

March • 10 1764. 

THAT a duty of 2/. 19,?. 9 d. per cwt. avoir- 
dupois, be laid upon all foreign coffee, 


10 T hat an act, made in the 6th Geo. 2i 
cap. 13, be continued until the 30th Septem¬ 
ber, 1764. 

11. I hatthesaidact be, with amendments, 
made perpetual, from the 29th September, 
1764. 


imported from any place (except from Great 12. That from and after the said 29th Sep- 
Bntain) into the British colonies and planta- tember, 1764, in lieu of the duty granted by 
tions in America. j the said act upon molasses and syrups, a duty 

2. That a duty of 6rf per pound weight, belof 3d. per gallon be laid upon all molasses 

laid upon all foreign indico, imported into'and syrups of the growth, product, or manu- 
the said colonies and plantations. jfacture, of any foreign American colony or 

3. That a duty of 7 1. per ton, be laid upon'plantation imported into the British colonies 
r 11 wine of the growth of the Madeiras, or of and plantations in America. 


any other island or place, lawfully imported 
from the respective place of the growth of 
such wine, into the said colonies and planta¬ 
tions. 

4 That a duty of 10,?. per ton, be laid up 
on all Portugal, Spanish, or any other wine 
(except F rench wine) imported from Great 
Britain, into the said colonies and planta¬ 
tions. 


13. That the produce of all the said duties, 
and also of the duties which shall from and 
after the said 29th September, 1764 be raised, 
by virtue of the said act, made in the 6th of 
his late Majesty, be paid into the receipt of 
his Majesty’s exchequer, and there reserved, 
to be from time to time disposed of by parlia¬ 
ment, towards defraying the necessary ex- 
pences of defending, protecting, and secur- 



VOL. X 


2 
















14 


L— ^ 0 

f < 0 ^ 

Proceedings in Parliament , 1 7G4. 


jug, the British Colonies and Plantations in duty he paid into the receipt of his Majesty^ 
America. exchequer, and there reserved to be, from 

14. That towards further defraying theimw. to time, disposed of by parliament, to- 

said expences, it may be proper to ctiarge\ wards defraying the necessary expences of 
certain Stump duties in the said Colonies and defending, protecting, and securing, the Bri- 
Plantations .* Irish Colonies and Plantations in America. 

15. That there be not any drawback allow-! 3 . That upon all wines (except French 

ed of any part of the rate or duty commonly; wines) exported as merchandise, from this 
called the old subsidy upon any foreign goods Kingdom, to the British Colonies and Plan- 
(except wines) of the growth, production, orjtations in America, a drawback be allowed 
manufacture of Europe or the East Indies, of all the duties paid on the importation of 
exported from this Kingdom, to the British jsueh wines, except 31. 10f. per ton, part of 
Colonies and Plantations in America. the additional duty of 4/. per ton, ranted by 

16. That there be not any drawback allow-act made in the last session of parliament; 

ed of any part of any rate or duty upon any and also except such part of the duties paid 
white calicoes or foreign linens, exported ;upon wines, imported by strangers or aliens^ 
from this Kingdom, to the British Colonies or in foreign ships, as exceeds what would 
and Plantations in America. |bavebeen payable upon such wines, if the 

17. That the duties imposed in the British jsame had been imported by British subjects, 
Colonies and Plantations in America, by an and in British ships. 


act made in the 25th year of the reign of 
King Charles the 2nd, entitled. An Act for 
the encouragement of the Greenland and 
Eastland trades, and for the better securing 
the Plantation trade, be declared to be ster¬ 
ling money. 

18. That the importation of rum and spir¬ 
its, of the produce or manufacture of any for¬ 
eign or American Colony or Plantation, into 
the British Colonics and Plantations in 
America, be prohibited. 

March 13, 1764/ 

r PHAT an addditional duty of 1/. 2j. per 
cwt. be laid upon all white or clayed su¬ 
gars, of the produce or manufacture of any 
foreign American Colony or Plantation im¬ 
ported into any British Colony or Plantation 
in America. 

2. That the produce of the said additional 


1. That no allowance he made for leakage, 
upon the importation of any wines into this 
Kingdom, unless auch wines he imported 
directly from the place of their growth, or 
from the usual place of their first shipping, 
except only Madeira wines, imported from 
any of the British Colonies or Plantations in 
America, or from the East Indies. 

5. That any person or persons, he permit¬ 
ted to import, in ships belonging to his Majes¬ 
ty's subjects, whale fins, taken from whales 
caught, by any of his Majesty’s subjects, in 
the gulph or river of St. Lawrence, or in any 
season the coasts of any of his Majesty’s Col¬ 
onies in America, without paving an v custom, 
subsidy, or duty, for the same (other than and 
except the rate of duty commonly called the 
old subsidy) for the term of 7 years, from 
the 25th December, 1763.f 


* This was an independent, substantive Resolution, followed by nothing; and yet 
was a resolution not only of extreme magnitude, but of the most general and highest 
legal nature involving in it a decision of the first and most fundamental principles < 
liberty, property, and government; and was also well worthy, as to the temporary policy 
of it. the most serious of all consideration. This.j^as resolved too, if I am informed 
right, at the close of the night, and at the rising ofthe House: so that every body must 
have taken it asa clear tiling, that they could at any time come to a resolution upon any 
general point of law, whenever they should see it expedient so to do. Letters on Libels. 

The Ministry deemed it necessary this year to contemplate America as a source of future 
revenue. A series of Resolutions was brought into the House for regulating the trade and im¬ 
psing duties on certain articles of American commerce: they formed the basis of an \ct 
which afterwards passed the legislature, and directed that the new difties should be paid in 
specie into the English exchequer. The Resolutions were accompanied with one for intro¬ 
ducing a Stamp duty into America ; bat the Minister withdrew it for the present, in order to 
allow time for the colonists to petition against it, when brought forward in another session. 

While the yell of Indian carnage was yet in their ears, and the smoke of their ruined 
habitations before their eves, the rage and despair of the Americans were fiwther inflam¬ 
ed by the arrival ofthe British Resolutions for imposing taxes. A more unfavourable 
moment could not have been selected. The unaccommodating regulations on trade 
gave no hope of compromise or evasion of the new duties. The Americans perceiving in 
these Resolutions the first appearance of a general and extensive plan of taxation the 
limits of which being concealed from their sight, were magnified to their apprehension, 
determined not to wait for the gradual exposure ofthe plan to combat it by parts, but to 
strike at once at the basis, by denying the right of the mother country to impose taxes 
on the colonics, which not being represented in parliament, did neither really nor virtually 
consent to the imposition.” Adolphus. 

t These Resolutions caused very little debate, and were passed unanimously by the 
House of Commons. While they were before the House Mr. Grenville, first Commissioner 
ofthe Treasury, among other reasons advanced by him, represented the felonies “as 
overflowing-with plenty, unembarrassed with taxes, and distinguished by unequaliid ease 
mul happiness. He soon convinced the House of the impoverished state of the finan¬ 
ces of die Kingdom, that beside all the former load of debt, the last war had created 





15 


Proceedings in Parliament , 1764 . 


On the 5th of April, 1764, an Act entitled 

' l >> Act granting certain duties in the Brit¬ 
ish Colonics and Plantations in America , 
Jor continuing, amending, and making per¬ 
petual, an Act passed in the sixth year of the 
reign of his late Majesty King George II. 

(intituled, an Act for the better securing 
and encouraging the trade of his Majesty's 
Sugar Colonies in America :) n S c. in which 
the foregoing Resolutions were embodied, 
received the King's assent. The following 
is the Preamble to the Act— 

*• Whereas it is expedient, that new duties 
and regulations should be established for im¬ 
proving the revenue of this kingdom, and 
for extending and securing the Navigation 
and Commerce between Great Britain and 
your Majesty $ dominions in America, which 
by the peace have been so happily 7 enlarged: 
and whereas it is just and necessary, that a 
revenue should be raised in your Majesty’s 
said dominions in America, for paying the 
expenses of defending, protecting, and secur¬ 
ing the same. We, your Majesty's most dtiti 
fat and loyal subjects, the Commons of Great 
Britain in parliament assembled, being de¬ 
sirous of making some provision in this pre¬ 
sent Session of Parliament towards raising 
the said revenue in America , have resolved to 
give and grant * to your Majesty, the several 
rates and duties hereinafter mentioned ,” &‘c. 

Extracts from the Act. (A Geo. 3. c. 15.) 

§18. That from and after the 29th day of 
September,1764, no rum or spirits of the pro¬ 
duce or manufacture of any of the Colonies 
or Plantations in America, not in the posses¬ 
sion or under the dominion of his Majesty 7 , 


his heirs or successors, shall be imported or 
brought into any of the Colonies or Plan ta¬ 
tions in America which now are, or hereafter 
may be, in the possession or under the do¬ 
minion of his Majesty , his heirs or successors, 
upon forfeiture of all such rum or spirits, 
together with the ship or vessel in which the 
same shall be imported, with the tackle, ap¬ 
parel, and furniture thereof; to be siezed by’ 
any officer or officers of his Majesty’s customs, 
and prosecuted in such manner and form 
as herein after is expressed; any law, 
custom, or usage, to the contrary not¬ 
withstanding. 

§ 25. That if any British Ship or Vessel la¬ 
den, as aforesaid, with any goods of the pro¬ 
duce or manufacture of any British Colony’ 
or Plantation in America, or having on board 
any molasses or syrups the produce of any for¬ 
eign Colony or Plantation, shall be discovered 
by any officer of his Majesty 's customs within 
two leagues of the shore of any British Colony 
or Plantation in America and the master or 
person taking charge ol such ship or vessel 
shall not produce a certificate that bond has 
been given, pursuant to the directions of this 
or any other act of parliament, as the case 
may require ; or if he shall not produce such 
certificate to the collector or other chief offi¬ 
cer of the customs where he shall arrive, eith¬ 
er in Great Britain or any British American 
Colony or Plantation, such ship or vessel, 
with her tackle, apparel, and furniture, and 
all the goods therein laden, shall be forfeited, 
and shall and may be seized and prosecuted 
as herein af’er is directed. 

§41. All sums ot money imposed as pen¬ 
alties or forfeitures, by’ this or any other act 


seventy-three millions, sixty-three millions of which were the work of the last four years of ft; 
and in addition to all this, the Germans claimed seven millions of arrears: that the state of 
the national income made it indispensably necessary that every part of the Government 
should contribute to the utmost to lighten the public burden; and that the whole charge of 
the American governments being three hundred and fifty thousand pounds, it was highly 
reasonable that they' should submit to the taxes he was about to impose upon them.” Minot. 

* But the grand manoeuvre in that business of new regulating the Colonies, was the 
fifteenth act of the fourth of George the Third, which, besides containing several of 
the matteis to which I alluded, opened a new principle; and here properly began the se¬ 
cond period of the policy of this Country with regard to the Colonies, by which a 
scheme of regular plantation parliamentary revenue was adopted in theory’, and settled 
in practice. This act, sir, had for the first time, the title of ‘ giving and granting’ 
duties in the Colonies and Plantations in America; and for the first time, it was assert¬ 
ed in the preamble, ‘thatit was just and|necessary’, that a revenue should be raised 
there.’ Then come the technical words of ‘ giving and granting,’and thus a complete 
American revenue act was made, in all the forms, and with a full avowal of the equity’, 
policy, and even the necessity of taxing the Colonies, without any formal consent of theirs. 
There were contained also in the preamble to that act, these very remarkable words, 
* the Commons being desirous to make some provision towards raising the said.revenue.’ 
By these words, it appeared to the Colonies, that this act was only the beginning of sor¬ 
rows. &c. Tins ill prospect appeared boundless in extent and endless in duration. Burke 
on American Taxation. 

The principle of commercial monopoly ran through no less than twenty’-nine acts of 
parliament from 1660 to 1764. In all these acts the system of Commerce was established, 
as that from which, alone, their contributions to the strength of the empire were expected. 
During this whole period, a parliamentary revenue was no part of the object of colonizar 
tion. Accordingly, in all the laws which regarded them, the technical words of reven¬ 
ue laws were avoided. Such have usually a title, purporting their heing “ grants,” and 
the words “ give and grant,” usually precede their enacting clauses. Although duties 
were imposed on America, by previous acts of parliament, no one title of “ giving an aid 
<o liis Majesty,” or any other of the usual titles to revenue acts, was to be found in any 
of them. They were intended as regulations of trade, and not as sources of national sup¬ 
plies. Till the year 1764, all stood on commercial regulation and restraint. RarriTag. 






30 


Proceedings in Parliament, 1764 . 


of parliament relating to the customs, which 
shall be paid, incurred, or recovered^ in any 
of the British Colonies or Plantations in 
America; shall be deemed, and are hereby 
declared to be sterling money of Great Bri¬ 
tain, and shall bt collected recovered, and 
paid, to the amount of the value which such 
nominal sums bear in Great Britain; and 
that such monies shall and maybe received 
and taken according to the proportion and 
value of five shillings and sixpence the ounce 
in silver, and that all the forfeitures and pen¬ 
alties inflicted by this or any other act or acts 
of parliament relating to the trade and reve¬ 
nues ofthe said British Colonies or Planta¬ 
tions in Ame ica which shall be incurred 
there, shall and may be prosecuted, sued for, 
and recovered in any court of record, or in 
any court of admiralty, in the said Colonies or 
Plantations where such offence shall be com¬ 
mitted, or in any court of vice admiralty 
which may or shall be appointed over all 
America (which court of admiralty or v ice 
admiralty are hereby respectively authorized 
and required to proceed, hear, and deter¬ 
mine the same) at the election of the informer 
or prosecutor. 

46 That from and after the 29th day of 
September, 1764, in case any information 
shall be commenced and brought to trial in 
America, on account of any seizure of any 
ship or goods as forfeited by this or any other 


act of parliament relating to his Majesty’s 
customs, wherein a verdict or sentence shall 
be given for the claimer thereof; and it shall 
appear to the judge or court before whom 
the same shall be tried, that there was a prob¬ 
able cause of seizure, the judge or court be¬ 
fore whom the same shall be tried shall certi¬ 
fy' on the record or other proceedings, that 
there w as a probable cause for the prosecutor s 
seizing the said ship or goods; and, in such 
case, tlie defendant shall not be entitled to 
any costs of suit whatsoever; nor shall the 
persons who seized the said ship or goods, 
be liable to any action, or other suit or pros¬ 
ecution, on account of such seizure: and in 
ease any action, or other suit or prosecution, 
shall be commenced and brought to trial 
against any person or persons whatsoever, on 
account ofthe seizing any such^hip or goods, 
where no information shall be commenced or 
brought to trial to condemn the same, and a 
v rdiet or sentence shall be given upon such 
action or prosecution against the defendant 
or defendants, if the court or judge before 
whom such action or prosecution, shall certi¬ 
fy in like manner as aforesaid, that there was 
a probable cause for such seizure, then the 
plaint iff besides his ship or goods so seized, 
orthe value thereof, shall not be entitled to 
above two pence damages, nor to any costs of 
suit; nor shall the defendent in such prosecu¬ 
tion be fined above one shilling.* 


* Agreeably to the spirit of this law, all the Officers of the Ships of War, stationed on the 
coasts of America and the West Indies, were made to take the Custom House oaths, and 
act as revenue officers for the prevention of smuggling. But the alertness and activity, 
which those gentlemen had so lately exerted with so much advantage and honour to them¬ 
selves and their country in taking prizes from the enemy, w ere more pr. judicial than ser¬ 
viceable to the general interests of Commerce in their new employment. Little acquainted 
as may be supposed, with rules which require long study and practice to understand them, 
and still less with the prudential reasons, which hail hitherto induced a relaxation of 
the vigour of the law in cases where a judicious overlooking was for the national advan¬ 
tage, they eagerly sought, and indiscriminately seized every vessel they found in the 
smallest degree transgressing the strict letter ofthe law, the interpretation of which was 
in a great measure in their own hands. In eases of improper seizure redress might be 
sought by appeal to the board of admiralty or treasury at home [England;] which, con¬ 
sidering the delay and distance, and the circumstances ofthe plaintiffs and defendants, 
could very seldom be productive of any redress. Macpherson. 

At the same time that they, [the Ministers] thought it expedient to fit out armed 
cutters, under the command of sea-officers, to prevent smuggling on the coasts of Great 
Britain and Ireland, they obliged all sea-officers stationed on those of our American Col¬ 
onies, to act in the capacity ofthe meanest revenue officers; making them submit to 
tbe usual custom house oaths, and custom house regulations for that purpose; by means 
of which the nature of their own important andj exalted character was debased, and 
that irregular vivaeityoftheirs, and contempt of common forms, which had been so lately, 
and with such advantage, exerted against the common enemy, was now kiconsiderate¬ 
ly play ed ofi*upon the subject. 

If these gentiemen did hot understand all those cases in which ships w r ere liable to pen¬ 
alty, they as little understood those, in which ships were exempt even from detention; and, 
of course, hurt the interests of trade in the same proportion that they disappointed the 
expectations of the treasury; so that, through the natural violence of their disposition, and 
their unacquaintanee with the revenue business, (and how could it be expected they' 
should all at once become acquainted with a business, which requires, at least, as much 
study at that they had been bred to?) the trade still carried on between British subjects, 
in spite of that vast number and intricacy of bonds, clearances, cockets, affidavits, stamps, 
certificates, registers, manifests, &c. with which the heart has been so unskilfully op¬ 
pressed to benefit ofthe members, was very much injured. 

What served greatly to aggravate this evil, was its being, in a great measure, without 
prevention or redress; or at least that speedy prevention and I'edress, which so great an 
evil required. Those who did the mischief, lived on an element, where civil justice i 
well known to have but little influence: or, if they sometimes ventured on shore, it wa 
in bodies too numerous not to intimidate the civil officers; or in places, where their blcm 





17 


Petition of New-York Merchants , 1764. 


Extract from the King's Speech , at the 
close of the Session , April 19, 1764. 

Ci Gentlemen of the House of Commons, 
‘‘I thank you tor the Supplies which you 
have so cheerfully and unanimously grant¬ 
ed. The ample provision you have made for 
the several services recommended to you, 
and especially for maintaining my lleet in a 
respectable state, will, I am confident, pre¬ 


serve to this nation its proper weight and in- 
duence,and give strength and security to all 
my dominions. 

The wise regulations which have been 
established to augment the public revenues, 
to unite the interests of the most distant pos¬ 
sessions of my crown, and to encourage and 
secure their commerce with Great Britain, 
call for my hearty approbation.” 


ders, to call them by no worse a name, were not cognizable, or where, at least, they ran 
no risk of being met by those whose business it was to prosecute them. The Lords of the 
Admiralty, or of the Treasury in Europe, could alone remove the evil; so that consider¬ 
ing the time an application to these Boards must have taken in reaching them, and the 
orders of these Boards m reaching the transgressors, it may fairly be accounted one of the 
greatest blessings Great Britain has had for a long time past to boast of, that the trade of her 
Colonies, as far as it depended upon these new fangled Custom House officers, was not 
in the meantime totally annihilated. Ann. Regis. 


II. Petitions and Remonstrances of the Colonies , in 1764. 

General Assembly of New-York, 'the Second, called the Sugar Act, is become 
April 20, 1764. Jan Object of such serious and universal Con- 

A LDERMAN Livingston , in Behalf of the ceni, that the Mercantile Part of the Commu- 
Merchants of the City of Ne7V York, laid nity who are more immediately interested, 
before the House, a Copy of a Memorial ! would at so melancholy a Juncture, be lost 
drawn up by the said Merchants, in order to to all Sense of Duty to their Country and 
be presented to the Parliament of Great 'themselves, were they to remain silent Spec- 
Britain , complaining of the Hardships the ( tators of the impending Ruin; they therefore 
Trade of this Colony labours under, by Rea- most humbly beg Leave, in Behalf of them- 
son of a Statute of the sixth of his late Majes-|selves and their Country, to represent to this 
ty King George the Second, commonly called honourable House, so great and fatal an Evil; 


the Sugar Act; and praying Relief in the 
Premises: Which said Copy' of a Memorial 
being read, and a Copy of a Letter wrote by 
the Committee of Correspondence, inclosing 
the said Memorial, to the Agent of this Colo¬ 
ny at the Court of Great-Britain , being also 
read. 

Resolved , Nemine Contradiccnte , That 
the House do approve of the said Memorial, 
and of the Letter accompanying the same. 

Rssolved Nemitie Contradicente, That 
this House will provide Ways and Means for 
paying all Expenses attending the said Me¬ 
morial, and which may accrue by Means of 
opposing the Renewal or Continuation of the 
said Statute of the sixth of his late Majesty 
King George the Second, commonly called 
the Sugar Act. 

Ordered , That the Committee of Corres¬ 
pondence, direct the Agent of this Colony to 
give all possible Opposition to the Renewal, 
or Continuation, of the said Act of the sixth 
of his late Majesty King George the Second; 
and acquaint him, that this House will pay 
all such Expences as may accrue by Means of 
the said Op position. 

To the Honourable the Knights , Citizens, 
and Burgesses, in Parliament assembleil. 
The Memorial of the Merchants of the City 
of New-York, in the Colony of New-York, 
in America, 

Humbly Shesveth, 

T HAT the declining state ofthe Commerce 
of this and the other Northern Colonies, 
from the present rigorous execution ofthe sta¬ 


in full Confidence, that the Impartiality, Jus¬ 
tice, and Wisdom of the British Parliament, 
and their equal Regard to the Welfare of 
every' Part of his Majesty’s Dominions, will 
efft dually secure them an adequate Redress 

And to this End your Memorialists beg 
leave to shew', that the inhabitants of this 
Colony are dutiful and loyal Subjects to his 
most sacred Majesty, and zealous for the 
Honour and Interest of Great-Britain, having 
given distinguished Proofs of their cordial 
Attachment to both, as well by their strenu¬ 
ous Efforts as the vast Expence they have 
cheerfully sustained during the late just and 
necessary War. 

That by the great Labour and Industry of 
the Inhabitants of these Colonies, they have 
so cultiv ated a rude and Savage Wilderness, 
as to be able from the Produce of their Lands 
to carry on several Branches of Commerce, 
both useful to themselves and highly advan¬ 
tageous to Great-Britain. 

That the Northern British Colonies are by 
the Nature of their Climate, unhappily dis¬ 
tinguished from most other Countries, for 
besides the Injury which our Wool receives 
from the excessive Heats of our Summers, by 
rendering it coarse and hairy; the Length 
and Severity of the Winters, attended with 
the extream Depth of the Snow, forbid the 
raising of Sheep, but under the greatest Diffi¬ 
culties and Hazards; and thus the Manufac¬ 
ture of Wool becomes precarious and almost 
impracticable: Vast Quantities of Warm 
Clothing which can only be supplied us by 
the Mother Country, are nevertheless want- 


t u te of the 6 th of his 1 ate ma j esty king George' ing; while atthe same Time the Soil produ- 







18 


Petition of New—York Merchants, 17G4-. 


ces little or nothing that affords a direct Re¬ 
mittance thither in Payment. 

The Inhabitants have from these natural 
Gauses, been driven to seek a Market for their 
Produce in the British Went-Indies; and 
such Produce by the further Population and 
Improvement of the Country, becoming too 
great for a Vent there, they have for many 
Years past, carried on a very beneficial Traf- 
lick with several of the foreign Sugar Islands 
as well before as since the Act, which by im¬ 
posing Duties that amount to a Prohibition, 
would long since have deprived them of tin 
Life and Support of their Commerce and 
Credit, had they been severely exacted; for 
your Memorialists conceive, a Truth capable 
of the clearest Demonstration, that the Sup¬ 
pression of their Trade with the foreign Sugar 
Islands, by whatsoever Means effected, must 
necessarily end not only in the utter Impov¬ 
erishment of his Majesty’s Northern Colonies, 
and the Destruction of their Navigation, but 
in the grievous Detriment of the British 
Manufactures and Artificers, and the great 
Diminution of the Trade, Power, Wealth, 
and naval Strength of Great-Britain. 

In order to this, as well to set the vast Ad 
vantages Great-Britain derives from her 
Northern Colonies, in the clearest Light, they 
implore the Patience of this honourable 


Indignation,) for Furs and Skins, -which con¬ 
stitutes another very considerable Remit¬ 
tance to our Mother Country. 

t he amazing Quantities of British Manu¬ 
factures and other Goods, which the Colonies 
on this Continent have thus been enabled by 
their Produce and Trade, to import from 
Great Britain, and the vast Advantages 
thence arising to her, can be much better as¬ 
certained athome, than by yourMemorialists. 
But should they be indulged in a Conjecture 
founded on their best Information, they con¬ 
ceive the Value will not fall short of Three 
Millions, Sterling,per Annum; and suppo¬ 
sing half a Million to be expended by the 
Mother Country,intho unwrought Materials, 
and other Articles from abroad, and which 
constitute part of our Supply, it will leave 
in favour of Great-Britain, exclusive of all 
other Advantages, the Prodigious Profit of 
Two Millions and an Half, Sterling; a Profit 
greater, your Memorialists presume, than any 
Nation in the World derives from her Colo¬ 


nies. 


What Share this Colony in particular con¬ 
tributes towards so vast an Accession of 
Wealth to the Mother Country, your Memo¬ 
rialists can determine with greater Clearness 
and Certa'inty ; for which, among other Pur¬ 
poses, they beg leave to have recourse to the 


House, while they exhibit a brief State of Custom House Books of the Port of New-Tork 


their general Commerce. 

The Produce, except the inconsiderable 
Articles sent directly' to Great-Britain, and 
Ireland, consists of Fish; the far greaser 
Part whereof is transported to Spain , Portu¬ 
gal and Italy , and there principally conver¬ 
ted into Cash or Bills of Exchange, w hich 
are remitted to England, and Part of the Re¬ 
mainder sold in thie West-Indies, to the En¬ 
glish, according to their Exigencies, and 
the rest of the foreign West-Inilia Islands ; 
or consists of Flour, Beef, Pork, Lumber and 
Horses, whsch are a'so exported to the B ritish 
West-Indies ; and afterwards supplying their 
Markets, the remaining Overplus is sold in 
the foreign Colonies, either for Specie, Sugar 
or Molasses : This Specie is immediately re¬ 
mitted to Great-Britain, and the Sugar 
either consumed among us or exchanged for 
the Produce of some of the Southern Colonies 
which is remitted home or shipped to some 
foreign ports in Europe , and there invested 
in Bills, to discharge our Debts in Great-Bri¬ 
tain; and the Molasses is either consumed 
amongst us in the brewing of Beer, and by 
the poor sort of People, in great Quantities, 
in the Room of Sugar, or distilled into Rum: 
And this again, is a most essential article in 
that branch, partly exchanged in a course of 
Commerce with our own Colonies for Fish, the 
Proceeds of which, as before is shewu, center 
in Great Britain, and partly disposed of in 
Africa, for Gobi, Ivory and Slaves : Of 
these, the two first are directly remitted home, 
and the latter sold in the British West-Indies , 
for Money or Bills of Exchange; both which 
are also immediately remitted home, and 
partly bartered with the Indian Natives, (who 
will deal with no Traders destitute of this 
Spirit, and resent the thoughts of being stint 


ed ia their favourite Liquor, with the highest 


from which it appears, that for the five last 
Years, there have been entered yearly, at a 
Medium, from Great-Btitain, Thirty Nine 
Ships, the mean difference of whose Cargoes 
amounted, on a moderate Estimate each 
Year, so Six Hundred Thousand Pounds, 
Sterling ; and an ordinary Valuation of the 
Quantity' of Exports of this Colony to Great 
Britain and Ireland, from the Month of No¬ 
vember , 1762 , to November, 1763, collected 
from the said Books, ami consisting of Flax 
Seed, Furs, Pig and Bar Iron, Beeswax, 
Copper Oar, naval Stores, Ship Timber, 
Plank, and other Things, amounts to 1,3-1,25-2 
Sterling; the Exports to the. West-India Set¬ 
tlements, and what hath been sent coastwise, 
consisting of Flour, Beef, Pork, Bread. Lum¬ 
ber, &c. about one half whereof is vended, at 
the British West-India Islands, and the Rest 
at the foreign Settlements, amounted for 
the Year 1763, to L. 117,531, Sterling, both 
which Sums are equal to L. 151,783, Sterling, 
which deducted from the Value of the Im¬ 
ports, shews that they exceed all our exports 
by L. 468,217, Sterling. 

Such being the prodigious balance against 
us, it may be necessary to show how we have 
hitherto been enabled^to support our Credit, 
especially as tfcat part of our Produce which 
is proper for a direct remittance, appears so 
very inconsiderable, that it could not be done 
from an intercourse with the British Wcst- 
India Islands only, to which the law in 
Question would confine us, will they conceive 
be evident from a few observations: Sugar and 
Molasses have been shewn to be the very Si¬ 
news of our Commerce, and the sources from 
which, in a course of Trade, we draw the most 
valuable Remittances,it would therefore seem 
n< cessary that they' should be imported in 
quantities sufficient to supply the various de- 







19 


Petition oj JVeiv-York Merchants , 17G4. 


mauds of our several commercial Interehan-fing left for the Put-Doses of our Traffiek.our 


aterchan-hng left for the Purposes of our Tra 
i; but our Credit with the Mother Country cot 


ges, its well asourown Consumption; but ouriCredit with the Mother Country could not be 
Sugar Colonies are unable to afford this ample supported by an Intercourse so vain and uu 
Supply, nor if they were, could they take oil 


Produce, which alone would capacitate us to 
purchase it. 

Considering the prodigious Consumption 
of West-India Produce, in Great-Britain , 
in Ireland , and in the Colonies on the Conti¬ 
nent ; the amazing increase of those Colonies, 
their Inhabitants already amounting to above 
two Millions; the vast accession of Subjects by 
the late Conquests, computed at two hundred 
Thousand, besides the innumerable Tribes 
of Indians in the extensive Countries ceded 
to the British Crown; the most strenuous 
Advocate for the interest of those Islands, 
must admit their utter incapacity to afford a 
supply equal to so immense a demand 

As an instance of this inability, without- 
dwelling upon the Artifice of importing for 
eign Sugars, and then reshipping them in 
English Casks, as their own produce; a prac¬ 
tice two frequent in the Islands, we beg leav e, 
on the Articles of Rum and Molasses, to have 
recourse to the Custom House Books of the 
Ports of Boston and Salem , in the Colony of 
the Massachussetts Bay : by these it appears, 
that from the month o $ January* in the Year 
.1762, to the same month in the Year follow¬ 
ing, were imported from the French Islands 
lately reduced to his Majesty’s Obedience, 
Seven Thousand Hogsheads of Molasses; 
and from our English Islands, not above 
Four Hundred and Six of Rum, and Four 
Hundred and Twenty-Four of Molasses; 
of which Molasses Four Hundred and Twelve 
were of the Island of Jamaica , Twelve only 
front all the other English Islands together. 

Besides the scarcity of these Articles soap- 
parent, itis the con tan t practice of all our 
Wcst-lndin Islands, ( Jamaica excepted) to 


profitable; your Memorialists therefore pre¬ 
sume, that this important Object, so inter¬ 
esting to Great-Britain , can only be secured 
by the fr- e and unrestrained Exportation of 
of alt the Produce we raise and can spare, and 
by an ample Importation of Sugar and Mo¬ 
lasses, sufficient not only for our Consump¬ 
tion, but for the various Branches and Trade, 
to which it is essential from every Place where 
it can be obtained on reasonable Terms. 
They cannot indeed take upon themselves to 
say, that even such an Indulgence in its 
wish’d for Extent,would enable us effectual¬ 
ly to disehaige the Load of Debts we contract 
in Great-Britain , without still farther en¬ 
couragements, sensible that during the late 
w ar, we enjoyed many additional Adv antages 
now in a great Measure suspended or at an 
End: Among these were the Contractors’ 


Bills, the Money from England forsupplying 
his Majesty’s Troops in America, and the 
great Successor the Privateers of this Port; 
each of which afforded a very considerable 
Resource for Remittances; by these the Ex¬ 
change between Great-Britain and us, was 
so far influenced, as to be reduced from 
Ninety' to Sixty five per Cent, and to their 
Cessation is to be ascribed its sudden Rise 
again to that enormous Standard of near twen¬ 
ty per Cent, above the Par: a circumstance 
alone sufficient to plunge us into the greatest 
Difficulties. 

But the Memorialists conceive, that if in¬ 
stead of Indulgences and Encouragements 
suitable to our distresses ? ibis dreaded Law 
be revived or continued, it must infallibly be 
attended with a Train of Consequences high¬ 
ly prejudicial to Great-Britain, and ruinous 
io her Colonies : a feiv'of which, they pray 


distill their Molasses;and this, though done the Indulgence of this honourable House, 
in a warm Climate by Slaves, fed with salt succinctly to enumerate. 

Herring and Roots; the latter of which are The Incapacity of making good our Pay- 
raised by the Slaves themselves, on Day s in ments, already severely felt, must necessarily 
all other Christian Countries, devoted to Rest,jsink our Credit, and gradually decrease our 
and the Service of Almighty God; theiij Imports from Great Britain, till they are re- 


Rum of equal Proof and Spirit, however 
incredible, is sold at our Market thirty per 
C* nt. higher than w hat is manufactured at 
North America , where Labourers are scarcer, 
and their Clothing arid Provisions, on ac¬ 
count of their Qualities and the price of 
Labour, owing to the disproportion of Inhab¬ 
itants to the extents of the Tracts of Land 
still uncultivated, much higher than in any 
other part of the World. 

Our Produce on the contrary, even when 
we had the freest intercourse with the foreign 
Islands, was from the great Quantities pour¬ 
ed upon them from the several Colonies, so 
low at a Medium in the British IVest-Indies 
as seldom to afford the Exporter any profit. 

Thus supplied with thefStapleof this Coun¬ 
try in vast Abundance, and at a cheap Rate, 
while their produce is so scarce and extra va- 

f antly dear,your Memorialists think it mani- 
1st, that did we depend for upon them alone, 
it would be utterly impossible to procure 
snore than a Competence for our necessary 
Consumption, and consequently nothing be- 


duced to the narrovf Compass of those Re¬ 
mittances consisting barely of Articles of our 
own Produce. 

This being the Case, numbers of Manufac¬ 
turers will remain without Employ, and be 
obliged to transport themselves with their 
Arts, to foreign Parts for a Subsistence. 

The Manufacturing Towns, those Springs 
of British Opulence, decay. The Rents of 
Lands, Iron Works, and Collieries, fall; and 
Trade in general, languish and decline. 

If in addition to this, the Marine of Great 
Britain, be considered as her chief Glory and 
Strength, and her Colonies and Fisheries,as 
the Nurseries of her Seamen, the Measure in¬ 
question must,in this view-be of the most im¬ 
mediate and pernicious Consequences to the 
whole Nation. To give some Idea of the 
great Number of Seamen maintained in the 
Trade of the Continent of America, may 
your Memorialists he permitted to observe, 
that they are well-informed that the Massa¬ 
chusetts!-Bay, employs in her Fishery and 
Navigation, not less than Five Thousand, 







20 


Petition of J^'ew-York. Merchants , 1764. 


while, Pennsylvania, we suppose, falls not 
above a Third short of that Number; and to 
shew how many are engaged in the Service 
of this Colony, your Memorialists beg Leave 
to observe, that it appears from a careful Es¬ 
timate that this Colony has, for the five last 
years past, Communibus Annis, annually em¬ 
ployed Thirty Thousand Ton of Shipping, 
the Seamen of which, allowing eight to every 
Hundred Tons, were 1'wo Thousand Four 
Hundred, exclusive of great Numbers in the 
Service of the great Vessels of War. 

Should our Trade with the foreign West- 
Indies be denied us, a proportionable reduc¬ 
tion both of our shipping and seamen, must 
be the consequence, the owners of Ves¬ 
sels disabled otherwise to employ them, must 
through necessity, sell them to the subjects 
of other States, upon which the Crews being 
discharged will have no means of subsistence, 
but by enti ring into, and augmenting a for¬ 
eign Marine. 

The same evil consequences are to be dread¬ 
ed in the other Colonies, v ho, tinder the like 
disadvantages will be obliged in the same 
way m dispose of their use,ess shipping. 

Add to all this, that the continuation of the 
Su <,- U!' . ct will be productive of the double 
mischief of impoverishing the subjects of 
Great Britain , and enriching those of the 
several European States, who have depen¬ 
dant Plantations in the Islands of the West- 
In dia Seas. 

Upon removing the restraints of that law, 
the vicinity and other Superior advantages 
of our Colonies, for the ready supply of those 
articles which the Islands cannot do without, 
especially Provisions, Timber and Lumber, 
would totally obstruct all such Importations 
from Europe , and by forcing a great part of 
their own Produce info our Hands, w'e should 
weaken the connection between the foreign 
European Powers and their Colonies, draw 
them into a state of dependence upon our¬ 
selves, take the profits of their Produce into 
our own hands, and in no small degree ren¬ 
der them as effectually our own as if they 
were really subject to the British Crown: 
Whereas by enforcing the Payment of high 
duties upon the foreign West-India Produce, 
our Trade with those Planters must c< ase, 
and the Supplies coming to them from 
France, Spain, Holland, Portugal and Den¬ 
mark, those Nations will he proportionally 
enriched, and being awakened to Husbandry, 
Manufactures and Arts, they will be streng 
thened by an increase of People, subsisting 
by employment, w ithout which many thous¬ 
ands of fellow Subjects in Britain, Ireland, 
and the Colonies, must be reduced to the 
greatest distress. 

And since our own Islands cannot supply 
these extensive Dominions, and that Inca¬ 
pacity must increase in proportion to the 
rapid augmentation of our numbers, one of 
the first sacrifices Great Britain will make, 
will be all the profits now gained by the refine¬ 
ment and exportation of Sugar. A profit 
not contemptible as the London refiners can 
evince, though lessening under the influences 
of the Act, we complain of the present scar¬ 
city «f Sugar, enabling the Planters to set up 


refining Houses in the Islands, and to under¬ 
sell the British Manufacturers in that Branch. 

From these Remarks, your Memorialists 
think it evident that the prosperity of Great 
Britain, is inseparably connected with that 
of the Northern Colonies, in the Support and 
Encouragement of the Trade in Question. 
They proceed now to observe, that even should 
it he supposed prejudicial to the British IVest- 
India Islands, in some, or even a great de¬ 
gree, this would be no good reason for its 
suppression, if ihat measure would beattend- 
ed with w’orse, or as bad consequences to the 
Northern Colonies, since their superior Util¬ 
ity and importance to the Mother Country, 
are capable of very satisfactory proof. 

The remittances made to Great Britain 
by those Islands in return for her Manufac¬ 
tures consisting of Sugars, are chiefly consu¬ 
med by the Mother Country, with no consid¬ 
erable addition to the national Stock where¬ 
as. those from the Northern Colonies being 
principally in money, do greatly augment 
the public Treasure. Besides their warm 
Climate requiring but little and slight cloth¬ 
ing, and their Produce being of very great 
value, the balance of their Trade with the 
Mother Country, is immensely in their favour: 
With the Northern Colonies the case is just 
the reverse, our utmost Industry and the 
greatest possible Indulgence, being scarcely 
sufficient to enable us so discharge our Debts 
contracted in Britain, Again the principal 
European Impoi ts into those Islands, consist¬ 
ing of Osnahrigs and other foreign Manufac¬ 
tures to clothe their Slaves, yield little other 
advantage to Great Britain , than the incon¬ 
siderable one arising from the Duties on those 
commodities. But her supplies to the North¬ 
ern Colonies are chiefly her woollen Manu¬ 
factures and other Staples, the principal value 
of which, centers with her, and constitutes 
a great Source of her opulence ; and as to the 
amount of their respective supplies from 
Great Britain, your Memorialist have alrea¬ 
dy shewn,that those of the Colonies are annu¬ 
ally equal to three Millions Sterling, while 
those of the West India Islands , exceed not 
one Million; and should our Imports increase 
for twenty Years to come, in the same propor¬ 
tion as for the twenty Years past, they must 
necessarily at the close of that Period, annu¬ 
ally amount to a prodigious Sum, whereas 
the Lands of the Sugar Colonies fit for Cul¬ 
tivation, besides being the graves of so many 
of his Majesty’s useful Subjects, are almost 
entirely improved and incapable of any great 
Increase of Inhabitants to add to their 
Consumption of British Manufacture; Ja¬ 
maica may he an exceptioh, and the Islands 
lately acquired certainly are, but it cannot 
be presumed that their further improvement, 
will by any means essentially alter the case, 
and with respect to number of Subjects, in 
which the true Glory and Strength of a Na¬ 
tion consists; those of the continental Colo¬ 
nies, are as before observed, universally 
believed to exceed two Millions, while the 
Islands are known to be thinly peopled, 
and for the greater part by miserable Slaves 
employed in raising and manufacturing their 
Produce, From all which your Memorialists 





21 


s of Light, the superior sions and other Necessaries than the former, 
usefulness of these Colo-I More plausible, but equally unjust is their 
tain, is undeniable mani-pretence, that the Profits of their Sugar 


Petition of New-York Merchants , 1764. 

conclude, that considering the matter inf giving a far superior price for 'their Provi- 
these true Points " * ' ‘ 
importance and 
nies to Great Britain, 

fest. I Plantations, depend on Rum and Molasses, 

Rut, notwithstandingthe Reasons that have without \\ Inch, Sugar would hardly pay the 
hitherto influenced a Parliament, celebrated expence of Culture and Manufacture, and 
throughout the World for the YV isdom, Equi- that therefore, a Prohibition on us, to receive 
ty and Justiceof her Laws: Notwithstanding those articles from the French, must neces- 
the arts of the West-India Planters, and tin ir sari.y occasion the decline of their Colonies, 

because they are not suffered to import them 
into France, as interfering with Brandy the 
Manufacture of that Country. 

l o this your Memorialists answer, that 
from the vast Wealth arising from those 
Plantations, and the excessive Price of Su¬ 
gars, it is obvious that very considerable Pro¬ 
fits must result were they confined to Sugar 
alone. But it is a well know n fact, that the 
Islands, and therefore, your Memo nuists Rum and Molasses, instead of constituting 
are induce d to hope, they will not be deemed! the sole profit, actually defray ail Expenses, 
uncharitable in concluding, that the opposi-and leave the Sugar a clear and absolute 
tion raised against us, on this Account, Gain to the Planter, and so far would the 
springs not as is pretended, from a Regard Prohibition aimed at, be from effecting the 
to the Welfare of Great-Britain, but from Decline of the foreign Sugar Colonies, that 
Motives of Self-Interest, and a desire to grasp having no other vent for their Molasses, those 
at a partial and dangerous Monopoly. Colonies would undoubtedly redouble their 


most unkind and invidious Reflections upon 
their fellow subjects in the Northern Colonies 
calculated to render tin m suspected in the 
eyes of their Sovereign, and odious to their 
Mother Country; Your Memorialists, art- 
persuaded, it will appear from a fair and can¬ 
did Examination of every objection hitherto 
urged against the Trade in Question, that it 
is not in reality injurious to the British 


Your Memorialists presume, if our Trade 
with the foreign Colonies is injurious to om 
own Islauds.it must either have raised the 
price of our produce there, or diminished the 
V alue of their own. 

To shew that such a Pretence is destitute 
of the least Foundation, we need only castan 
eye on the great Numbers of West-India 
Planters, whom from the smallest beginnings, 
have acquired Fortunes so splendid as to ri¬ 
val and often eclipse in stately Edifices, 
Equipages and Magnificence,of many, even 
of the Nobility of Great-Britain. 

It is also a known Fact, that within thirty 
Years last, their Estates far from declining in 
Consequence of this Trade, have actually re¬ 
ceived an Increase of at least Thirty per 
Cent. 

Your Memorialists are therefore persuaded, 
that with the justi-st cause might the North¬ 
ern Colonies complain, who have the Morti 
fication to find every Articled’their Produce, 
sold in the English West Indies, with little 
or no profit to the Exporter, while the price 
of Sugar is already very high, and has hith¬ 
erto been continually increasing. 

After' what hath been offered, it may be 
thought Superfluous, particularly to consid 
er the remonstrance of the West-India Plan 
ttrs, cn this Subject, to the Lords of Trade 
and Plantations in the year 1750. But as it 
was attended with success and made an im 
pression extremely disadvantageous to these 
Colonies, your Memorialists entreat the furth¬ 
er patience of this honourable House, while 
they point out the weakness of the Founda¬ 
tion on which it was built. 

Your Memorialists pass over their assertion, 
that the Trade in Question impoverishes our 
Islands, while it enriches those of foreign 
States, since it is notorious to every one, the 
least acquainted with their respective Mar¬ 
kets, that it never had that effect, the latter 
underselling them very considerably, al- 
hough subject to the great disadvantage of 


application to the distilling of Rum, and by 
that Means, acquire very considerable Bran¬ 
ches of Commerce, nowin Possession of Brit¬ 
ish Subjects, and would in particular deprive 
them of the African Trade, as they could af¬ 
ford their Rum so much cheaper, than what 
is made or distilled from the Produce of the 
British Islands. It was urged as another 
Objection, that the foreign Rum and Molas¬ 
ses, being purchased by us for Specie, drams 
us of our Gold and Silver, and disables us 
from paying the Balances annually becoming 
due to Great-Britain. 

On which the Memorialists observe, that 
so far front being able to send any Specie to 
the foreign Islands, the greatest Part of all the 
Gold and Silver they ever had was actually 
imported from thence: They admit indeed, 
that during the late War, when Gold and 
Silver were Plenty, by means of the Army 
employed in America, a Trade was carried 
on to the foreign Islands, in British Manu¬ 
factures and Specie; but that this instead of 
disabling these Colonies from paying their 
Debts to Great-Britain , did on the contrary, 
by creating a Profit from one to two Hundred 
per. Cent, capacitate them to purchase and 
pay for larger quantities of British Manufac¬ 
tures, than they were ever able to do either 
before or since. 

They farther insisted in their Memorial, 
that the permission of such a Commerce 
would encourage us in a Trade directly with 
the foreign Nations of Europe , for all the 
Commodities we now take from Great-Bri¬ 
tain ; to this the Memorialists reply, that 
whatever Violation of a few daring and en- 
terprizing Spirits, common to all Countries, 
may have committed against the Laws, wise- 
ly forbidding so pernicious an Intercourse 
with foreign Nations, it has generally been 
regarded with the highest Disapprobation, 
not only injurious to the fair Trader, but also 
to the Mother Country, from whom alone, the 
Colonies ought to receive all the European, 









1761 . 


QO 


Petition of New— York io the Kip. 


i rr 


Manufactures they want and she can spare.! 
But your memorialists insist, tnat even were) 
the Colonies destitute of the duty and regard,! 
they so justly owe to the Fountain from 
whence they originated, and by w hich they 1 
have been supported and protected (as the 
Planters would unkindly insinuate.) such 
vigorous Measures may he pursued, as will 
effectually remove the most distant apprehen¬ 
sions of so disobedient and presumptuous a 
Practice. 


We hope, your Honour will join with us, 
in an endeavour to secure that great Badge 
of English Liberty , of being taxed only with 
bur oivn consent, to Which we conceive, all 
his Majesty's Subjects at home and abroad 
equally entitled ; and also in pointing out to 
the Ministry, the many mischiefs arising 
from the Act, commonly called, the Sugar 
Act, both to us and to Great Britain. 

PETITIONS TO PARLIAMENT, 1764. 


The General Assembly was adjourned on! To the King's most excellent Majesty. 
the 21st. the day after the adoption of the. The humble Petition and Representation of 
foregoing Memorial, and did not meet again, the Representatives^ of your Majesty s loy- 
until the 4th of September, following. On' nl Colomj of Reiv-Tork. 
the 5th the Committee appointed to corre-j "DEKMIT, most gracious Sovereign, your 
spond with the Agent of the Colony, at the, faithful Representatives for your Majes- 
Court of Great Britain, laid before the House! tv’s loyal Subjects, the Freemen and Free- 
several letters and other papers received by, holders of your Colony of New York, to ap- 
t lie Committee from the agent during the, proach the Throne, with a Submissive fender 
Recess; which were read, and referred to the ; of the most firm and unshaken Allegiance, 
consideration of a Committee of the whole! And as they shall ever esteem it a peculiar 
House. Onthellth an Address,in which the Mark of the Royal Favour, in behalf of 
Right of the Colonies was maintained, was themselves and their Constituents, to be in- 
presented to the Lt. Governor. On the 19th dulged in renewing their Demonstration of 
the Committee reported that it was expedient the mo t im iolable Fidelity to their Prince, 
to Petition Parliament: Petitions were ac- may they be allowed at a juncture so eriti- 
cordingly prepared, adopted by the House,'cal, to the Rights and Liberties of those whom 
* ' * ' 1 on the 18th of they represent, with all Humility to show, 

That your Majesty’s royal Predecessors, 
sensible that the Subject, by the Laws of our 
happy Constitution, carries with him bis 
Allegiance to the most distant corners of the 
Earth, and that the Protection of his Consti¬ 
tutional Rights and Privileges, is the true 


and signed by the speaker, 
October. 


Extract from an Address of the General As¬ 
sembly of Nexv-Tork, to the Lt. Governor , 

Sept. 11, 1764. 

But nothing can add to the pleasure we re¬ 
ceive from the Information your Honour] Reason of iliat Allegiance, not only authori- 
givesus. That his Majesty, our most gracious, the Emigration of their Subjects, but 
Sovereign, distinguishes and approves oi/nacquiesced in the transfer of those Rights 


conduct. When his service requires it, we 
shall ever be ready to exert ourselves with 
Loyalty, Fidelity and Zeal, and as we have 
always complied in the most dutiful manner 
with every Requisition made by his Direc¬ 
tions ; we with all humility hope, that his Ma¬ 
jesty, who, and whose Ancestors, have long 
been the Guardians of British Liberty, will 
so protect us in our Rights, as to prevent our 
falling into the abject State ot being forever 
hereafter incapable of doing what can merit 
either his distinction, or approbation. Such 
must be the deplorable State of that wretch¬ 
ed People, -who (being taxed by a power sub¬ 
ordinate to none, and in a great Measure un¬ 
acquainted with their circumstances) can 
call nothing their own. This we speak with 
the greatest deference to the wisdom and] 
justice of the British Parliament, in which 
ire confide. 

Depressed with this Prospect of inevitable 
Ruin by the alarming informations we have 
from Home, neither we nor our constituents 
can attend to Improvements, conducive 
either to the Interests of our Mother Country 
or of this Colony. We shall however renew 
the Act for granting a Bounty on Hemp, 
still hoping iliata stop may be put to those 
measures, which if carried into execution, 
will oblige us to think, that nothing but ex- 


aiul Privileges, to this distant Part of your 
Dominions, to be enjoyed by them, on the 
same Tenure of Subjection by which they 
held them at Home. 

That hence so soon after the first P laming 
of this Colony, as in the Year 1683, a political 
Frame was erected, in the nearest possible 
Resemblance to that of our Mother Country ; 
of which the constituent Parts were a Gover¬ 
nor and a Council, in the royal Appointment, 
and a Representation of the People by their 
ow n free Election. 

That in these three Branches was lodged 
the legislative Authority of the Colony, and 
particularly the Power of taxing it’s Inhabi¬ 
tants for the support of Government And 
in the uninterrupted Enjoyment of this Con¬ 
stitution has your Majesty’s Colony of New 
York continued, frflTn that Period dow n to 
the present Day. 

That under influence of this happy Imita¬ 
tion of the Political Frame of our Mother 
Country , we are, by the numerous Emigra¬ 
tions from your Majesty's Kingdoms of Great 
Britain and Ireland, and the Accession of 
foreign Protestants, become a Dominion 
filled with subjects, who esteem themselves 
Happy in the firmest Attachment to your 
royal Person, Family and Government; the 
more happy, as under this Allegiance, they 


treme poverty can preserve us from the most have had the highest Reason, from the 
insupportable bondage. 'Hitherto uninterrupted Enjoyment of theiV 







25 


Petition of j\'ew*-York to the King , 1764. 


tivil Rights ami Liberties as individuals, tojmon Cause: Proofs which, with the fullest 
consider themselves, in a Shite of perfect Conviction have reached the Breasts of those 
Equality with their fellow Subjects in Great) who through the most groundless Misrepre- 
Britain, an<! as a political Body, enjoying!sentations are now moved, to destroy the 


Power which furnished them. For we con¬ 
ceive that those frequent parliamentary Pro¬ 
visions. to lighten the heavy Taxes, with 
which we voluntarily burthened ourselves, 
for the national Weal, could have been dic¬ 
tated by nothing less, than the fullest Con¬ 
viction, that in exercising the Power of 
Taxing ourselves, your Majesty’s Service 
and the I’ublick Welfare were our invariable 


like the Inhabitants of that Country, the ex¬ 
clusive Right of Taxing themselves 5 a Right 
which with the most profound submission be 
it spoken whether inherent in the People, or 
sprung from any other Cause, has received 
the royal Sanction.; is at the Basis of our 
Colony State, and become venerable by long 
Usage. 

Your Majesty’s faithful Representatives 
for ibis your Colony of New York, cannot, Objects. 

therefore, without the strongest Demonstr.i-j May we not therefore humbly hope, for 
tions of Grief, express their sentiments on the your Majesty’s royal Approbation of our 
late Intimation of a Design, to impose Taxes Unwillingness to part with a Riirht, which 
on your Majesty’s Colonists, by Laws to be the Authority of the Prince, in the Infancy 
passed in Great Britain. O 11 a subject so of this Colony, thought proper to put into its 
interesting to us, we have the peculiar Pelici- Hands, as the Birth Right of the Subject, a 
ty of observing, that the royal Prerogative, Right which we have eveiysince undisturbed- 
by our tender Regard to which, w e shall ly possessed ; a Right to which even could it 
ever be ready to evince our unfeigned Obedi-be forfeited by abuse, we have secured our 
ence to our prince, is not in the least in-Title by the best Improvement o* it. May 
tevested: For we humbly conceive that,'we not also, while the liberty of the Subject 
whether the Aids, which the support of your has ever been the greatest Glory, of the il- 
Majesty’s government require from this Poo- lustrums House of Hanover, with full assu- 
ple. be laised by ourselves, or our fellow Sub-ranee of acceptance lay at y our Majesty's 
jects, will neither heighten or diminish the! Feet, our jealousies upon every Invasion of 
lustre of the imperial Diadem, but as one or our Rights ? We value- ourselves in being the 
other of those Modes of Taxation will either! free Subjects of a glorious Prince, who ten- 
prove advancive or destructive of the publiclderly regards the Arties of his People, and 
Weal. who will ever maintain that excellent Con- 

Permit us, therefore most gracious Soy- slitution, which w ith all others, that the Wjs- 
ereign, in behalf of ourselves ami our Con- dom of Man lias hitherto contrivtd, forbids, 
stituents, to Supplicate our Prince as the that any Part of a Community shall, as Indi¬ 
common Father of all his People, who sees viduals. claim the Right of taxing the whole, 
with equal Eye, and regards with indiseriini- And these our jt alousies we bring recoin- 
nating Tenderness and Concern, the.lute- mended with an Argument, which we trust 
rests ofhisBrtish and American Subjects; will ever have the greatest Weight w ith our 
w ho by our happy Constitution, is armed Sovereign. 

with the Power to negative every unconstitu- For besides, that involuntary taxes and im- 
tional Law: and whose princely Goodness.!positions, are absolutely and necessarily ex- 
we account ourselves happy in the- Reflection 1 eluded from a State of Liberty ; that it would 
will ever direct the Execution of his Authori-j be the basest Vassalage, to be taxed at the 

Pleasure of a Fellow Subject; that all real 
Property is lost, whensoever it becomes sub- 


tv. 


" That the Pi wer of taxing ourselves has 


_ - ) f . 

been fundamentally interwoven in our Con-jordiuate to laws, in the making of which, the 
stitution, wc flatter ourselves will not be de-| Proprietor does not participate; and that 
nitd ; that we have uninterruptedly enjoyed!thus to treat us. would be to sink us into a 
this Power, the numerous Acts we have pass-subjugation, infinitely below the ignomini- 
ed for the support of Government, in thelous Rank ofthe most tributary States: Re- 
Enacting of which, the Crown has alwaysjsides all this, we have th Welfare of the Na- 
participated, will fully evince; and that we tion, that most powerful Advocate with a 
have not abused this Power, our strenuous wdse King, to plead our Cause before your 


Exertions, upon every publick Emergency, 
will we humbly hope most fully dc monstrate. 
Many indeed are our Testimonials on this 
Subject, furnished by the Speeches of our 
Governors, under your Majesty and your 
royal Ancestors, and recorded in our Acts of 
Assembly, for a long and uninterrupted 
Series of Years. 

But we flatter ourselves, that tins People 
has given your Majesty, the most recent 
Proofs, of their Zeai fur the Glory of their 
of their Readiness to bleed at 


Majesty; and by this we are encouraged to 


observe— 

That your Majesty’s North American Col¬ 
onies, in the extensive Tracts of Country 
they contain, furnish Room for an endless 
increase of Inhabitants. And as Numbers 
are the most athletic sinew of national Pow¬ 
er; the strength of Great Britain, which can 
never grow from this Cause at Home, must 
gain continual and never ending Accessions 
in her Colonies. That the Consumption of 
British Manufactures originally made neces- 


Sovereign, ....... - — - „ . . 

every Vein in his service, and of that uncom- sary by the nature of our Climate, will con 
mon Alacrity with which they have in the tinually increase w ith our Numbers, and by 









24 


Petition of Jseye-York to the King , 17G4* 


anti your royal Descendants, become won 
Conspicuously, as your Majesty in Truth is. 
the most powerful Princes in Europe. 

These, we presume are the happy Effects, 
which can flow only from the Increase arid 
Prosperity of the Colonies; and for which 
the Mother Country, being long ere now ar¬ 
rived at the fullest Maturity, can afford no 
Room. 

But as Liberty is at the Bottom of all our 
Enjoyments, as your Majesty’s Subjects can 
neither be happy nor rich, but in the Inde 
pendent Fruition of their Property; can your 
Majesty, we ask it with submission, conceive, 
that a Discrimination of Privileges between 
the Mother Country and the Colonies, will 
be attended with a Consequence, less fatai 
than the Decrease of the latter ? While th 
subject, can under the nearest Protection of 


the Crown enjoy the largest Portions of cial Arts, we speak from qur present woful 


Liberty, and the greatest acculnmulations of 
of Privilegi s that afree People can even wish 
for, the more inhospitable climes of America 
more inhospitable for our Vicinity to a Bar 
barian, or irreconcilable Foe, will furnish no 
Temptations to emigrate. Actuated by the 
same principles, which will prevent all fu 
ture Emigrations, great Numbers of our pre 
sent Inhabitants wil! transplant themselves 
into the Mother Country; where they may 
enjoy their Property with the fullest security 
and a perfect Equality with their fellow Sub¬ 
jects. Thus will our Colonies decrease, and 
with them the strength, the Glory, the Lustre 
of the British Empire. 

These, permit us, w ith the deepest Concert 
for the Honour of our King, and the Prosper¬ 
ity of the Nation, to assure your Majesty wil’ 
be the fatal, yet unavoidable Consequences 
of a Method of Taxation for the Colonies, s< 
inconsistent with the Genius of the Britisf 
Constitution, so destructive of that Right of 
taxing ourselves, which in common w ith our 
fellow Subjects in Great Britain, we have 
hitherto uninterruptedly enjoyed; and w hi h 
itis hoped, we may with tin strictest justice 
say, have been secured against a Forfeiture 
as far as the most invaluable Rights can, by 
the best Improvement of them be secured. 

May we not ther, fore, most gracious Sov 
ereign, with a Measure of Confidence hope, 
that an Evil, so great, so extensive, will by 
your Majesty’s wise and princely Interposi¬ 
tion he prevented ? An Evil, which no In¬ 
stance in the w hole Tenor of our Conduct, 
can possibly make necessary; for w hat Period 
we ask it witli all Humility can be assigned, 
in which even our Backwardness, much less 
our Refusal, to exercise the Right of Taxation 
for tlie Benefit of ourselves, or the nationa 
Weal was manifested ? We have been a 
People, zealous for the Honour of our Sov 
ereign, sanguine in the public cause, ready 


Failure of the Military Chest, suspended yotif 
Majesty’s important Operations, for tht Corn- 
quest of Canada, (the most luminous Event, 
that ever adorned the Page of English Histo¬ 
ry) your Majesty’s Commander in Chief 
betook himself to the Legislature of this Colo¬ 
ny, for Relief. And on that momentous Oc¬ 
casion, how cheerfully did they load the Colo¬ 
ny with a sum, immensely beyond the Abili¬ 
ties of a poor People to bear, upon no other • 
security fora Reimbursement, than the Merit 
of the Service. 

Next to the Right of taxing ourselves, for 
the support of your Majesty ’s Government, 
we beg leave, humbly, to recommend to the 
gracious Consideration of our Sovereign, the 
present ruinous State of our Commerce. If 
tin-Trade of Great Britain is her chief Glory, 
if she is to excel her Neighbour in commer- 


to strain every Nerve, upon every Occasion; arise, from this Restriction ; we flatter our- 


we have supported the whole Weight ofCa 
nadian Fury, for near a Century; been as 
liberal of our Blood, as our Treasure ; and 
even ant cipated the Demands of our Sov¬ 
ereign, on every Occasion of public Emergen 


Experience, the Prosperity of our Trade, is 
absolutely necessary for the support of hers. 
This Country can, at best, afford a very in¬ 
competent supply ofimmediate Remittances, 
for those prodigious Quantities of her Manu¬ 
factures, which we daily consume. Our sta¬ 
ple is calculated, p int i pally for the West 
India Markets ; and their Produce is the best 
Return we can possibly make for her Com¬ 
modities. And as our communication with 
the foreign Islands, would, besides a Vent 
forourown Staple,open a wide Doorforthe 
-ale of British Manufactures, the Trade of 
Great Britain, would by this means, be im¬ 
mensely increased; while on the other Hand, 
your Majesty's Sugar Colonies afford a very 
inadequate Market for British Wans, and 
tlie Staple of our Country; and by such a Re¬ 
striction, our Trade and of course the Trade 
of Great Britain, is reduced to the most 
scanty Limits. It is therefore with a Con¬ 
cern, that equally embraces our Mother 
Country, as well as our Colony Interests, that 
w e received the late Act of Parliament, by 
which all Commercial Intercourse between 
these Colonies, and the foreign West India 
Settlements is at an end ; The Duties thereby 
imposed being equal to a Prohibition. And 
we have too great R< ason, from the present 
Decay of our Commerce to conclude, that this 
Measure, w hich can only be serviceable to a 
very inconsiderate Part of the British Empire 
will be attended with Consequences, destruc¬ 
tive to the general Interest, of y our Majesty’s 
Realm and Dominions. 

Our Demands for Linen Manufactures, 
w hich till the passing of the late act, w'e have 
been permitted freely to supply, by Importa¬ 
tions from your Majesty’s Kingdom of Ireland 
must remain, in a great Measure, unsatisfied, 
by the Prohibition laid on our Exportation of 
Lumber to that Kingdom. As we humbly 
conceive, that no national advantage can 


selves with th. Hopes, of your Majesty’s most 
gracious and powerful Interposition, in this 
Instance, for our Relief. 

It is with the deepest Distress, that our 
Duty to our Constituents, constrains us to ob¬ 


ey'. So conspicuous indeed, was our willing-! serve to our Prince, that this, and many others 
ness, to exercise this invaluable Right in thej of the Acts of Trade, have diverted the pub- 
nutional Cause, that at a juncture, when allie Stream of Justice, from their ancient 









25 


Felition cP JVeat- York to the 


King, 


1764. 


V nurse. I he Wisdom of our Ancestors shineslof raising a Sum for immediate use,we should 
m nothing more brightly, than in the Institu- have lost the opportunity of testifying our 
tionof juries, for the Decision of all Contro- Love and Loyalty to our Sovereign, when 
Versu s, that concern the Live s. Liberties, and his General rnadeRt quisition of the prodigi- 
i ropertv of the Subject; and if we are em-lotis Sum of One Hundred and Fifty Thou- 
boidened. with equal Earnestness ai d HU-Jsand Pounds, without which, the important 
minty, to supplicate your. Majesty's royal [Operations, of tin most eventful Campaign, 
favour and Countenance, in this important must at least unavoidably havt stagnated, if 
Pomt, we have that conspicuous Tendernessjnot miscarried. 'I hese. Sire, were the good 
tortile Rights of the stihj* ct, which is one otitises that we made <>f this political Engine; 
the most distinguished Graces of youi Mnjes-and we may safely defy the World, to produce 
ty s illustrious.House, to nlead our Excuse.|an Instance.in which by ntgltcting, tosink 
lour Majesty’s unexampled Goodness will.'our Emissions of Paper Currency, in due 
then 1 ore, pardon the Bitterness of our Grief, | Season, we suffered it either to depreciate, or 
at thj gradual, though riot the h ss dangerous fall into discredit. May the consideration of 
Diminution, of this anient Radge of English our past faithful Services, and a sincere Ten- 
Liliirty For though we could, with the der of our Readiness, on all future Occasions, 
most becomingalacrity, submit our Lives and bas e their proper weight with your Majesty ; 
Property, and what we hold diai er than both am! produce a Repeal of that Law which 
that inestimable Liberty with winch otir An- has deprived this people of thi most effi etual 
cestors have set us free, to your Majesty’s Means, to demonstrate their Fidelity and af- 
voya! Clemency, and Princely Discretion fi ction to their Prince. 

yetthe unavoidabh Delegations of the royal These, may it please your Majesty, are the 
Authority, w hich m eissarily expose us to tin.' important Points, upon w hich your faithful 
rapacious Resigns of wicked Men, leave tis, Representatives ibr your loval Colony of New 
neither Rest nor Security, while a Custom York, have in behalf of th ir Constituents, 
House Officer may w antonly seize, w hat a and with the most bumble subniission, pre¬ 
judge of your Majesty’s Court of Vice Admi-; mm d toappvoae h the T lirbne. assuring youF 
raitv may condemn in his Discretion ; or ai Majesty, that om of th> principal Blessings 
best restore io tin honest Proprietor, withou they have to expect, from a continuance of 
the Possibility off Restitution for the Injury, jthtir exciusm Right to tax the mselves, the 
Shall we not therefore be allowed, with tlie jRestorafion. end Extension of their Coin- 
most low ly Reverence, and upon ihi Arms me i ce, the Execution of I aw. in the ancient 
of the most firm and unshaken fidelity, to'and ordinary Method, and the Continuance 
tender our humble Pitiiions to the T hvone, 'of their Bills of Cri (lit, will be, the ir Capacity 
that this great, tliis growing, this mighty Evil to do the most faithful and ready Services, to 
may be removed from among us P jtlieir King and Country, upon e very Occa¬ 


sion. 


I lie Inhabitants of this your Majesty ’9 
loyal Colony of New York, have the highest 


Permit us, most gracious Sovereign, <0 ob¬ 
serve on the want of a paper Corn 1 ey as the 
last, though net the least Evil, to which the 
Colonies are unhappily math Stibjt ft.by an sense of the' Wisdom, Justice, Integrity and 
Act of Parliament lately passed for that Pur- Impartiality, of both your Majesty’s Horses 
pose. Our Commerce affords us so small a Re- of Parliament; and are therefore fully con- 
thm of Specie, that without a paper Curren- vineed, that measures so clestiuctive ef cur 
ey, •■upported on the ere dir of the Colony,our and tl e public Emolument, must be ground- 
Tratle. aid the Commutation of Property, eel. on the misrepresentations of these, who, 
must necessarily fail. Tlu Want Of Money .by opposing the Interests of the Colonies, 
w ill disable us to pay our internal T axe s, and strike a.t the well being of the Nation 11 gene- 
effectually prevent our Fsertioi s in the com- ral. It is extremely difficult, for those highly 
mon cause-; ever on the most inters sting, and h otic tire d Houses, at so great 0 distance, to 
alarming Occasions. In ibe use of this Means preserve from Pollution, the Channel of I 11 - 
for supply ing our political Wants, we have toliigence. But your Majesty, being repre- 
bee n continually indulged, ever since the sentativelv present, by your Governors, and 
Reign of your Majesty’s g'orious Predecessor. jCounCils. who doubtless, will be ready, to 
King Wiiiian the Third. And what use we [give the truest Intelligence whe n command- 
have made ef it. we appeal to past Cccurven*!ed hj their Sovereign, may, by this infallible 
ees for Proof; your Majesty’s poor Subjects Method, disposer our truly elepiorable Cir- 
in the. Colonies, are unable to bear the Weight jeunistahees, and provide such Redress, for 
of a ln avy, and immediate Tux: And no this, and your other loyal a.nd distressed 
other Expedient can possibly he devised, to [North American Colonies, as to y our Majesty 
acquit them ii the Discharge of public Duties;ii: yotn princely Wisdom and Goodness,shall 
in momentuous ar.d pressing Occasions, than jseem meet. 


an Emission of Paper Money; to lie sunk at a 
distant, though certain Period, by Taxes 
gradually and annually imposed. Had the 


T hi t Almighty God, in whose Hand aie 
the Hearts of Princes, may direct the Coun¬ 
sels of Our tnost gracious Sovereign, for the 


immense Suins this loyal Colonv has contrihu-jWelfare, even of his most distant Subjects; 
ted, to promote your Majesty ? s Service, du-that the Impe ria' Diadem of Great Britain, 
ring the late Wa-, been 'immediately impo-jmay sit long and easy, on his royal Head; 
sed ; besides the absolute Impossibility ofjthat he may he conspicuously blest, among 
supplyi g them, the whole Colony must have [the Princes of the Ea-th in his sacred Person, 
sunk under so intolerable a Burden. Had (illustrious Family, and auspicious Govern- 
ve then been deprived of this easy Method,Iment; that the British Sceptre may nev er 

VOL.X. 3 




l 2G 


Petition of New-York to the j^ords, 1764. 


depart, from Ins August House, nor his faith¬ 
ful'Subjects, throughout his extensive King¬ 
doms and Dominions, want Hearts on every 
Occasion, to testify the most unshaken 
Fidelity, the most ardent affection, and the 


and 

And 


thence equally dispense his Favours - : 
...... the conquered, finding their condition 

gradually mending, will become reconciled 
to his Government, and forefc-t their primitive 
Freedom ; but a Constitution, in which one 


most cheerful and unreserved obedience to a'part of his Majesty’s Subjects, are forevet to 
Prince of his royal Lineage, while Sun and be taxed by another, which so absolute > 
J - challenges that Right., as not to suffer the 

ieast alteration in the Laws proposed for that 
purpose, is such a System of Government, as 


Moon endure, are the sincere, the ardent, the 
unremitted Prayers, of your Majesty’s most 
dutiful, most loyal, and most devoted Sub¬ 
jects, the Representatives of your Majesty’s 
Colony of New York. 

Bv Order of the General Assembly, 
\VI LIAM NICOLL, Speaker 
Assembly Chamber , 

City of New York , Oct. 18t/i, 1764, 

To the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in 
Parliament , Assembled. 


was never adopted by any People, hath not 
its Parallel in the whole compass of History, 
nor perhaps ever entered into the Iinagina- 1 
lion of any Political Writer, It is the most 
unequal Constitution that ever existed ; and 
no human Foresight or Contrivance can l>re^ 
vent its infallible advances to and its final 
consummation in, the most intolerable Op¬ 
pression. For all taxes being paid with _Re- 


The General Assembly of the Colony of New mctance,and every man willing to alleviate 
fork bes Leave with all Humility to shew, the Burden; it is natural to suppose that 
mq a V at a time when measures are propo- whoever lias the uncontroulable h ight of im j 


A sed for the consideration of the British Par¬ 
liament, tending to the impoverishment of the 
North American Colonies; the great Detri 
tnent of Trade, the diminution of the Int. - 
rests both of the Crown and the Nation; the 
insecurity of our property, and the apparent 
Abridgement, if not utter Destruction of our 
Liberties; to remain unconcerned and siient 
would ill become the Representative Body of 
the People of this Colony, who must unavoid¬ 
ably share in the public Calamity; and con¬ 
sequently cannot but be alarmed at the im¬ 
pending danger. Your Petitioners therefore 
beg leave, most humbly to represent to your 
Lordships that ever since the glorious Revo¬ 
lution, in which this Colony displayed the 
most distinguished Zeal and Alacrity, we have 
enjoyed the uninterrupted Privilege, of being 
taxed only with our own consent, given by 
our Representatives in General Assembly. 
This vve have ever considered as the inextin- 


posing them, will hear no part of them him¬ 
self. as long as tin y can possibly be laid on 
others. If such therefore he our Constitution 
it must fodow, that the whole Burden of the 
Government, as fast as it eanbe transferred, 
will be thrown on the Subjects in America ; 
while all the advantages of it remain to those 
of Great Britain; And a future House of 
Commons, not possessed of 1 hat Love of Jus¬ 
tice and Liberty, which so eminently distin¬ 
guishes the present, will wanton in our spoils. 
Reasoning thus from the nature of Man.siod 
iti gi neral, and without designing the least 
Reflection on any Partieulais, we humbly 
presume, our Freedom will not bethought to 
merit the Censure of a British House of Peers, 
tin- constant Guardians of Liberty, and the 
invariable irreeoneilcable Foes to every spe¬ 
cies of Bondage 

Having thus shewn, as we humbly conceive 
with the greatest submission to your superior 


guishable Right of British Subjects, because Wisdom, that a Government so constituted* 
it is the natural Right of Mankind, and so must necessarily degenerate into a Tyranny} 

we beg leave to observe, that the Claim of an 
Exemption from being taxi <1 by the supreme 
Legislative Power, is far from involving in it, 
the Motion of an. Independency, For the 
experience of near a Century, has fully evin¬ 
ced, that our subjection to Great Britain, and 
her Laws, and our strenuous efforts upon 
every public Emergency, have not. been the 
less conspicuous under an Immunity from 
taxes, imposed by a British Parliament. 


inseparable from the very Idea of Property, 
as not to be divested eten by conquest itself, 
Without totally despoiling the Vanquished ; 
and reducing them to a State of absolute Vas¬ 
salage. Subjected States have indeed been 
often compelled to submit to heavy Tributes; 
but none w ere ever depressed to the deplora¬ 
ble necessity, of paying such Tribute as 
should, to all Futurity, be imposed at the 
boundless will of the Conqueror. The Tri¬ 


bute was generally fixed ; and that duly dis- And should we add, that during that long 
charged, the residue was enjoyed with unmo^ Tract of 'l ime, taking the Co. onus collec- 


lested security. Nay even such a State of 
Slavery, in which the supreme Power of the 
conquering State is vested in a single Person, 
wretched as it is, would be infinitely prefer¬ 
able, to w hat, according to our most alarming 
Information, has lately been proposed for the 
British Colonies; but which, we have the 
highest Reason to hope,from your Lordships 
deep Sense of the inestimable Value of Liber 
ty, and the patriot disposition of your illustri¬ 
ous House, can never recommend itself to 
\our serious approbation. For where ever 
the supreme Fow rr is lodged in a single Per¬ 
son, he will naturally consider himself as ha¬ 
ving an equal Relation to all his Subjects ; 


lively, w e have not been surpassed by any 
of his Majesty’s Subjects, either in the useful¬ 
ness and afti-ction to the Mother Country, in 
Fidelity and Loyalty to the Crown, or in the 
Liberality both of our Blood and Treasure, 
in compliance with every Requisition; the 
notoriety of the Facts, and the Propriety of 
rehearsing them on so important an occasion 
would acquit us before your Lordships of 
Vanity and self applause. We have by im¬ 
proving a Country inhabited only by Savages 
and far remote from our native Soil, greatly 
extended the Dominions and Trade of Great 
Britain; and will undoubtedly, if not checked 
by a new model of our Constitution, and an 










27 


Petition of New-York to the Lords , 1764. 

Aaridgeinentof the essential and fundamen-'ever encouraged by the British Legislature, 
tid Rights of Englishmen, continue the since it prohibits our shipping of Lumber to 
Augmentation of both, till she shall equal thejthat Kingdom or even the Dunnaging our 
greatest Empire recorded in the Annals ofFlax Seed Vessels with staves, without which 
Fame. Our Trade has always been so regu-the expensive Carnage of that commodity 
latedby her Laws, as to leave us no other will not admit our Importation of the Irish 
Riches than what are annually expended on Linens. 

her Manufactures ; whence the extraordinary May we implore your Lordships’ t 'atience, 
haulships resulting from the Imposition of while we presume to point out the extreme 
taxes are the more apparent. Was Britain Inconvenience of another Act, passed in the 
altogetm r without 1 rade. she could evident same session of Parliament, for preventing 
ly not raise a tenth part of what she now does Paper Bills of Credit hereafter issued in any 
for the support of her Empire. Still worse of his Majesty’s Colonies or Plantations in 
would b her condition,should another Pow-j America, from being a legal A ender. Our 
er so regulate her Commerce, as to exhaust! Commerce affords us such inconsiderable 
her of all her Cash : Anil ifto’tliis weadd, the Returns in specie, that without a Paper Cur- 
necessity of purchasing from that Power, the reney supported on the Credit of the Colony, 
far greater part of her cloathing, it would re-both our trade, and the Commutation of 
duce her to such Penury and Distress, as to Property, must meet with perpetual Obstruc- 
render the smallest tax a very sensible Bur tior.s. Nor could we, without such expedi- 
den.—But this is truly the State of the Colo- em, have co-operated with vigour in the Re- 
nies.—Weeurry on a Traffick, but it impover- duction of Canada, that ever memorable and 
ishes iis; and we art* content it should, since most valuable addition to the British Empire 
it i nriches the Country, by which we are pro- in America. Had we been obliged to borrow 
tected. Henc it appears, as we humbly jire- money for that purpose, lenders could not 
sume, th;it while our Trade is thus regulated have been found, had we been obliged to pay 
and restricted, it w ill be in vain to attempt Interest for the immense Sums we then ex- 
the raising any sums of Money in the Colonies pended, it had been extremely difficult to 
that can deserve the attention of a British.have paid the principal, notwithstanding the 
Legislature. jassistance we received from the British Par- 

Matters may indeed have been represented! liament; and we had remained in debt such 
in a different Light, by Gentlemen w ho Sums, as we could not, in the Course of 
were the more liable to be led into mistakes, many years, have been able to discharge, 
by their short Residence amongst us; anilj The quantity of Paper Currency emitted by 
especially by making their observations in'furnishing us with Cash, enabled us to pay 
Ti me of War. It is then that the French and the heavy Faxes we charged ourselves with 
Spanish West Indies, open an extensive which had otherwise been impossible: And 
Field for Commerce; and Britain acquires, hence it appears that by this Law,his Majes- 
by our Means, the whole Trade of the New t>’s Service in this Colony, may on future 
World.—Immense are the quantities of her occasions, and when there is the most urgent 
Manufactures thereby expended ; and the j necessity for our exertions in the common 
Profits almost exceeding Imagination, At j cause, be unfortunately impeded. When to 
such a time, it is no Wonder if many Mere! this we subjoin, that the giving a Currency 
chants grow rich, or that their Luxury by the [to Paper, hath been our constant Method of 
sudden acquisiiion of their Wealth, can jsupplying our political Wants, ever since the 
scarcely keep pace with their Profits. But Reii n of King William the Third.—That 
on the return of Peace, our Trade again sub- we have not hitherto suffered it to depreciate 
sides into its primitive contracted Channel, or ever perverted it to illaudable purposes. 
The Cash we had acquired takes its speedy that with respect to ourselves as a Colony, it 
Flip-lit to Great Britain; and nothing remains is a medium essentially necessary to our corrt- 
but th Trappings of Luxury, which serve at mereial Interests, and (hat without it, most 
once to gild and increase our Poverty. [deplorable must be the case of all debtors, 

As the Trade of the Colonies must ever [who meet with cruel Creditors and whose es- 
constitute the principal advantage w hich tates must, for want of current Cash, be sold 
Great Britain derives from them, your Peti-below their value to tlve Impoverishment of 
lionets conceive it their indispensable duty, many Families; your Petitioners cannot 
as well to the Nation in general, as their con- 1 question your Lordships*benevolent Interpo- 
stituents in particular, humbly to observ e to sition in their behalf. 

your Lordships, that all commercial Inter- We shall not presume, further to trespass 
course between us and the foreign Sugai Jon your Lordships’Patience, than to observe 
Colonies, being, by the high duties imposed that the amazing Pow ers vested by some of 
by a late Statute, intirely at an end, must the late Acts of Trade,in the Judges of the 
inevitably prove a Restraint, equally detri-j Vice-Admiralty Couits, who do not proceed 
mental to the Mother Country and all her according to the course of the common Law, 
Northern Dominions ; since by that Trade j nor admit of Trials by Julies, one of the most 
those Commodities, which will not serve for essential Privilegesof Englishmen, has so un- 
Remittances Home (and which are now favourable an aspect on the Property of the 
become utterly useless) were converted into Subject, that we could not, consistent with 
Cash, and other Merchandize fit for that pur- our duty, suppress our apprehensions, 
pose. By the same Act w e are also prevent- All which your Petitioners, reposing the 
fd fromsatisfyingourDeniandsferthe Linen highest confidence in your Lordships’ Wis- 
s S5>/q))Uf; i .iptUt'es cf Ireland, (a MannfacUne (loin and Justice, humbly pray may be taken 



j?8 Petition of New-York to the Commons , 17G4. 


into your most serious consideration, and that] the Canadians, and the more barbarous n - 
such relief may be granted, as shall seem ruptions of the Savagesofthe Di savt, as may 
most conducive to the united Interest of appear by a.l the maps of this Country ; and 
Great Britain and all her Colonies. I in many Wars we have suffered an immense 

By Order of the General Assembly, loss both of Blood and Treason , to repel the 
WILLIAM NICOLL, Speaker Foe, and maintain a valuable dependency 
Assembly Chamber, i upon the British Crown. 

City of New York, Oct. I3fA,1764. O.i no occasion can we bejustly reproached 

— - [for withholding a necessary supply, our tax- 

To the honourable the Knights , Citizens and es have been (.qua to ou r abiates, and con* 
Burgesses, representing the Commons o/’Tessed to be so by the Crown; for Proof of 
Great Britain , in Parliament Assembled, which we refer to the speeches of our Gover- 
The Representation and Petition of the Gene- nor s mall times ot War; and though we re* 
ral Assembly of the Colony oj'jfew York, member with great gratitude, that in those 

Most humbly shew, grand and united struggles, which w ere lately 

r PH AT from the year 1683, to this Day,] directed for the conquest of Canada, part of 
*- there have bee., three Legislative Bran- [our -'expenses was rcimburs d, yet we cannot 
ches in this Colony ; consisting of the Cover-' suppress the remark, that our contribution 
norand Council appointed by the Crown, and surpassed our strength, even in the opinion, 
the Representatives chosen by the People, ofthe Parliament, w ho under that conviction 
who, besides the Power of linking Laws for thought it but just to take offpart ofthe Bur- 
the Colony, have enjoyed the Right of taxing then, to which we had loyally and voluntari- 
the subject for the'support of the Govern-, ly submitted ; in a word if there is any ineritir 
ment. facilitating on all occasions, the mibiic mea- 

Under this Political Frame,the Colony wasjsures in the remote extremes of the national 
settled by Protestant Emigrants from several Dominion, and in preserving untaint< d lo> al- 


Parts of Europe, and more especially from 
Great Britain and Ireland: And as it was 
originally modelled with the Interve ntion of 
the Crown, and not excepted to by the Realm 
of England before, nor by Great Britain, 
since the Union, the Planters and Settlers 
conceived the strongest hopes, that the Colo¬ 
ny had gained a civil Constitution which, so 


ty and cheerful obedience, it is ours; and 
(with submission) unabused, nay more, well 
unproved Privileges oaimot, ought not, to be 
taken away from any People. 

But an exemption from the Burthen of tin- 
grantid, involuntary taxis, must be the grand 
Principle of e\ cry free state.—Without such 
a right vested in themselves, exclusive of all 


far at least as the Rights and Privileges of the'others, there can be no Liberty, no happiness. 
People were concerned, would remain per-] no security, it is inseparable from the very 
manent, and be transmitted to their latest Idea of Property, for who can call that his 


Posterity. 


own, which may be taken away at the p.cu¬ 


lt is therefore with equal concern and sur-]sure of another? And so evidently does this 
prise, that they Itave received Intimations of appear tube the natural right ot mankind, 
certain Designs lately formed, if possible, to] that even conquered tributary States, though 
induce the Parliament of Great Britain, to subject to the Payment ofa fixed periodical 
impose taxes upon the subject, here, by Laws Tribute, never were reduced to so abject and 
to be passed there ; and as we who have the forlorn a condition, as to yield to ail the Bur- 
honour to represent them, conceive that this]them which their conquerors might at any 
innovation, will greatly affect the interest ofl future lime think lit to impose, '1 he tributes 
the Crown and the Nation, and reduce the ]paid, the debt was discharged; and the Re- 
Colony to absolute Ruin; it became our in-1 inainder they could oall theirown. 
dispensable duty, to trouble you with a sea- And if conquered Vassals upon the Princi- 
sonable Representation of the Claim of our pie even of natural justice, may claim atree- 
Constffuents, to an exemption from the Bur-jdom from assessments unhounded and unas- 


then of ah taxes not granted by themselves, 
and their foresight ofthe tragical Conseqiien 
ees of an adoption ofthe Contrary Principle 
to the Crown, the Mother Country, them¬ 
selves and their Posterity, 

Had the freedom from all taxes not granted 
t>y ourselves been enjoyed as a privilege 
we are confident the Wisdom and Justice of 
the British Parliament, would rather establish 
than destroy it, unless by our abuse of it, the 
Forfeiture was justly incurred; but bis Ma¬ 
jesty’s Colony of New York, cannot only defy 
the whole World to impeach their Fidelity, 
but appeal to alt the records of their past 
Transactions, as well for the fullest Proof of 
their steady affection to the Mother Country 


sented to, without which they would sustain 
the loss of every thing, and life itself become 
intolerable, vv.th how much Propriety and 
Boldness may we proceed to inform the 
Commons of Great Britain, who, to their dis¬ 
tinguished honour, have in all ages asseited 
the Liberties of mankind, that the People of 
this Colony, inspired by the Genius of their 
Mother Country, nobly disdain the thought of 
claiming that exemption as a Privilege.— 
They found it on a Basis more honourable, 
solid ami stable; they challenge it, and glory 
in it as their Right. That Right their ances¬ 
tors enjoyed in Great Britain and Ireland ; 
their descendants returning to those King¬ 
doms, enjoy it again And that it may be 


as for their strenuous efforts to support the exercised by his Majesty’s Subjects at Home, 
Government, and advance the general inte-and justly denied to those who submitted to 
rest ofthe whole British Empire. Poverty, Barbarian Wars, loss ot Blood, loss 

It has been their particular misfortune, tojof Money, personal Fatigues, and ten thou- 
be always most exposed to the incursion of.sand uniutenable Hardships, to enlarge rile- 




29 


Petition of A tzi'-lork to the Commons, 1764. 

J rnde, M ealth, and Dominion of the Nation; and unreasonable spirit be imputed to us* 
«>r, to speak w ith the most unexceptionable! than to the Parliament of Ireland, orany other 
modesty, t hat when as subjects, all have of his Majesty’s Subjects, 
etjual merit; a fatal, nay the most odious Left to the enjoyment of our ancient Rights 
Discrimination should nevertheless be made! the Government will be truly informed when 
between them, no sophistry can recommendja tax is necessary, and of the Abilities of the 
to the sober, impartial decision of common; People; and there will be unequitable Parti- 
3t ' nse * , . jtion of the Burthen. And as the public 

Our constituents exult in that glorious charges w ill necessarily increase with the In- 
Mode! of Government, of which your Hon. crease of the Country, and the augmentation 
House is so essential apart; and earnestly or reduction of the Force kept up, be regula- 
pray the Almighty Governor of ali, long to ted by the power and temper of our barbarian 
support the due distribution of the Power of Enemy, the necessitj for continuing the prc- 
the Nation m the three great Legislative sent Model must appear to be most strongly 
Branches. But the Advocates for divesting inforced. At the remote distance oftlie Brit- 
us of the Bight to tax ourselves, would bytheiish Commons from the sequestered shades of 
Success of their Machination, render Devolu- the interior Parts of tins Desart, false Intelli- 
tion of all civil power upon the Crown alone, ;gence oftlie Slate of the Indians may be 
a Government more favourable, and there- given ; whereas the Vicinity of the Colonies 
fore more eligible to these American Depen-[ will enable them, not only, to detect all false 
deuces. The supreme Ruler in a Monarchy, alarms, and check all fraudulent Accounts, 
even in a despotic Monarchy, will naturally but urge them by the never failing Motive of 
consider his relation to be, what it is, equal to self Preservation, to oppose any hostile At¬ 
oll his good subjects : An equal Dispensation tempts upon their Borders, 
of favours will be thenatural Consequence of Nor will the Candour of the Commons of 
those Views ; and the Increase of mutual af-Great Britain, construe our Earnestmss to 
fection must be productive of an increase maintain this Plea, to arise from a Desire of 
of the Facility of all. But no history can fur-Independency upon the supreme Power of 
nish an instance of a constitution to permit,the Parliament. Of sfi extravagant a Disre- 
one Part of a Dominion to be taxed bylgardto cur own Interests wc cannot be guil- 
anotlier, and that too in effect, hut by ally. From what other Quarter can we hope 
Branch of that other part; who in all Bills for far Protection ? We reject the Thought with 
public aids, suffer not the least Alteration, the utmost abhorrence; and a perfect know- 
And if such an alms rd and unequal Consti-ledge of this Country w ill afford the fullest 
tution should he adopted, w ho, that considers Proof, that nothing in our Temper can give 
the natural reluctance of Mankind to bur- the least Ground for such a jealousy, 
tliens, and their inclination to cast them The peaceable and invariable submission 
upon the shoulders of others, cannot foresee, of the Colonies, for a Century past,forbids the 
that w hile the People on one side of the At- Imputation, or proves it a Calumny.—What 
lanlic, enjoy an exemption from the Load, can be more apparent, than that the State 
those on the other, must submit to the most which exercises a sovereignty in Commerce, 
unsupportable oppn ssion and tyranny. can draw alt the Wealth of its Colonies into 
Against these Evils, the indulgence of the its own Stock ? And has not the whole Trade 
present Parliament, of which we have had of North America, that growing Magazine of 
sucli large Experience, cannot provide, if the 
grand Bight to tax ourselves is invaded. 

Depressed by the prospect of an endless train 


of the most distressing Mischiefs, naturally 
attended upon such an Innovation, his Ma¬ 
jesty 5 * American Subjects, w ill think it no 
inconsiderable augmentation of their Miser}', 
that the measure itself implies the most severe 
and unmerited Censure, and is urged, as far 
as they are acquainted, by no good Reasons 
of State. 

They are unconscious of any conduct, that 
brings the least Imputation u’.on their Love 
and Loyalty, and whoever has accused them, 
has abused both the Coloni s and their 
Mother Country; more faithful subjects his 
Ma jesty has not, in any Partofhis Dominions 
nor Britain more submissive and affectionate 
Sons. 

And if our Contributions to the support of 
the Government upon this Continent, or for 
the maintainance of an Army, to awe and 
subdue the savages should be thought neces¬ 
sary, why shall it be presumed, withouta trial 
that we more than others, will refuse to hear 
ken to a just requisition from the Crown? 
To requisitions for Aids salutary to our own 
Interests ? Or why should n move incorrigible 

3 * 


Wealth, been, from the Beginning, directed, 
restrained, and prohibited at the sole Pleasure 
of the Parliament ? And whatever some may 
pretend, his Majesty’s American Subjects are 
far from a desire to invade the just Rights of 
Great Britain, in all commercial regulations. 
They humbly conceive, that a very manifest 
Distinction presents itself, which, while it 
leaves to the Mother Country an incontesti- 
ble P-ivver to give Law s for the Advancement 
of her own Commerce, will, at the same time 
do no Violence to the Rights of the Planta¬ 
tions. 

The Authority of the Parliament of Greajt- 
Rritain, to model the Trade of the whole Em¬ 
pire, so as to subserve the Interest of her own 
we are ready to recognize in the most exten¬ 
sive and positive Terms. Such a Preference 
is naturally founded upon her superiority, 
and indissolubly connected with the Princi¬ 
ple of Self Preservation.—And then fore, to 
assign one Instance, instead of many, the 
Colonies cannot, w ould not, ask for a Licence 
to import woollen Manufactures from France; 
or to go into the most lucrative Branches of 
Commerce, in the least Degree incompatible 
with the Trade and Interest of Great Britain 
But a Freedom to drive all kinds of Traf~ 



30 Petition of New-York to the Commons , 17G4. 


fick in a subordination to, and 


id notinconsis- West Indies, were laid open to our I rade, 

tent with the British Trade; and an Ex-and those immense Profits acquired there, 
tent witn, me mu . . > Courge v( for the Manufactures of Great Britain and 


flmntion Irom all duties in such a -- — — - , , ■ > 

Commerce, is humbly claimed by the Colo- Ireland, flowed into the Colonies, and lux ) 
nies, as the most essential of all the Rights to advanced upon us slower than out gams, 
which they are intitled, as Colonists from,and; But Trade being now confined to its old 
connected, in the common Bond of Liberty, Channels, and indeed still more restricted, 

"" • ii| — and the late acquired Cash, 1 emitted nonie 

fornecessary C loathing, other very indinerei t 
aprearanccs begin to take place, and the 

tl..:,:„L W f .I I cnftn he foil- 


with the uninslaved Sons of Great Britain 
For, with submission, since all Impositions 
whether they be internal Taxes, or duties 


oaid.for what we consume, equally diminish British Merchants are, or will soon be con- 
xhe estates upon which they are charged ;t vmeed to their sorrow, that our splendor was 
what avails it to anv Peopie, by which of not supported by solid Riches 
them they are impoverished? Every thing The honourable House will permit us to 
will be given up to preserve Life; and though observe next, that the \ct ot the last Session 
there is a Diversity in the means, yet, the of Parliament, inhibiting all intercourse be- 
wr^\tu nY o Prmnfrv mav ns pffee- tween the Continent and foreign Sujrar Col- 


whole Wealth of a Country may be as effec 
tually drawn oft', by the exaction of Duties, 
as by any other Pax upon their estates. 

And therefore, the General Assembly of 
New York, in Fidelity to their Constituents, 
cannot but express the most earnest supplica¬ 
tion, that the Parliament will charge our 
Commerce with no other Duties, than a Ne¬ 
cessary Regard to the particular Trade of 
Great Britain, evidently demands; hut leave 
it to the legislative Power of the Colony, to 
impose all other Burthens upon its ow n Peo¬ 
ple, which the public Exigences may require 

Latteny, the Laws ot Trade seem to have 
been framed without an Attention to this 
fundamental claim 


tween tiie Continent and foreign Sugar 
onies w ill prove equally detrimental to us 
and Great Britain. That Trade gave a 
value to a vast, hut now alas unsaleable Sta¬ 
ple, which being there converted into Cash 
and Merchandise, made necessary Remit¬ 
tances for the British Manufactures we con¬ 
sumed: The same Law contains a Clause 
unfriendly to the Linen Manufactory in Ire¬ 
land, for the restraint upon the Exportation 
of Lumber to that Kingdom, prevents even 
our dunnaging the Flax Seed Casks sent 
there with Staves. And w'hen w e consider 
the Wisdom ot our Ancestors in contriving 
Trials by Juries, we cannot stifle our Regret, 
that the Laws of Trade in general, change 


Permit us, also in defence of our Attach- the Current of Justice from the common Law, 
mentto the Mother Country, to add, what’and subject controversies*of the utmost im¬ 
portance to the Decision of the Vice Admi¬ 
ralty Courts, who proceed not according to 
the okl wholesome Laws of the Land, nor are 
always filled with Judges of approved Ki ow- 
iedge and Integrity. To this objection, the 
aforementioned Statute wi.l at first view ap¬ 
pear to be so evidently open, that we shall 
content ourselves w ith barely suggesting, that 
the amazing Confidence it reposes in tli Jud¬ 
ges, gives great Grief to his Majesty’s Amer¬ 
ican Subjects; and pass on to a few remarks 
on that other Law of the same Session, w hich 
renders our Paper Money no legal Tender. 

'The use of this sort of Currency in procur¬ 
ing a speedy supply on Emergences, ail the 
Colonies have often experienced. We have 
had Recourse to this Expedient in every 
War, since the Reign of King William the 
Third; and without it we could rot have co¬ 
operated so vigorously into the Reduction of 
Canada,that grand stroke w hich secured to 
Great Britain, the immense Dominion of the 
Continent of North America. We had no 
other alternative hut that, or the taking up 
Money upon Loan, Lenders could not have 
been easily fou nd, and if they were, the Inter - 
cst upon all the sums raised in that way, 
would have exceeded our ability now to dis¬ 
charge. Happy for u , therefore, that we 


your Merchants (to whom w'e oldly make 
the Appeal) know to bean undoubted truth ; 
that this Continent contains some of the most 
useful of her subjects.—Such is ;lie Nature of 
our Produce, that ail we acquire is less than 
sufficient to purchase w hat we w ant ot youi 
Manufactures ; and, be the Policy of your 
Commerce w'hat it will, all our Riches must 
flow into Great Britain. Immense have been 
our contributions to the National Stock. Odr 
Sta de, Industry, Trade and Wealth, all con¬ 
duce to the particular advantage of our fel¬ 
low' subjects there.— The natural state of this 
Country, necessarily forms the Balance ot 
Trade in her favour. Her growing opulence 
must elevate her above all fear and jealousy of 
these dependences. How much stronger then 
the reasons for leaving us free from ungranted 
Impositions ? Whoever will give full scope to 
his meditations on this Topic, w ilispe it the 
Interest of Great Britain, to adopt the Maxim 
that her own happiness is most intimately 
connected with the Freedom, Ease and Pros¬ 
perity of her Colonies: The more extensive 
our Tiaffick, the greater her gains; we car¬ 
ry ad to her Hive, and consume the Returns; 
and we are content with any constitutional 
Regulation that enriche s her, thought it im¬ 
poverishes ourselves.—But a fuller display of 
these Principles, being prepared by our Mer-jfell upon the project of giving a Credit to 
chants, to be laid before the Honourable paper, which was alway’s supported by sea- 
House, at the last sitting, w r e shall only beg sonable taxes on our Estates; the Currency 
leave to add, that any information repugnant of the Bills being prolonged only till we were 
to tlus Account of the low state of our Traffick iiihle to burn up the Quantity from time to 
must proceed from partial, or incompetent time emitted. Our Laws, or the copies trans¬ 
witnesses; who may have formed their ts-|mitted to the Plantation Office, will evince 
timate of the Wealth of the Colony, during that of the numererous Emissions we have 
the late Wav, when the French and Spanish made since the first, which was on the 8tfi 










31 


Petition of New-York 

of June, 1709, all were for the urgent service 
of the Crown. One instance is so recent, and 
shews the necessity of the continuation 
of such a Power in the Colonies, in so strik¬ 
ing a point of Light, that it deserves more 
particular Notice, The Operations of the 
year 1759, were nearly at a Stand for want 
of Money. The military Chest being ex¬ 
hausted, the General was alarmed; and seeing 
no other method to ward oil the impending 
Disaster, was obliged to ask the Colony for a 
Loan of one hundred and fifty thousand 
Pounds: We immediately gratified his re¬ 
quest—Strch was our concern for the public 
Weal! We wish his Majesty’s service may 
suffer no Impediment, by this new Restraint 
in an article which has been of so much 
Utility. The Traffick of the Colony certain¬ 
ly will, for want of a competent medium; 
and on that account, and in behalf of those 
miserable Debtors, whose Estates, through 
ilie scarcity of legal Cash, must be ext< tided 
by Executions, a: d hastily sold beneath their 
true Value, to the ruin of many Families, 
permit us to implore your tender Commisera¬ 
tion. 

The General Assembly of this Colony 
have no desire to derogate from the Power 
of the Parliament of Great Britain ; but they 
cannot avoid deprecating the Loss of such 
Rights as they have hitherto enjoyed, Rights 
established in the first dawn of our Constitu¬ 
tion,founded upon the most substantial Rea¬ 
sons, confirmed by invariable Usage, condu¬ 
cive to the best ends; never abused to bad 
purposes, and with the .loss of which Liberty, 
Prouerty, and all the Benefits of Life, tum¬ 
ble into Insecurity and Ruin: Rights, the 
deprivation of which, will dispirit the Peo¬ 
ple, abate their Industry, discourage Trade, 
introduce discord. Poverty, and Slavery: or. 
by depopulating the Colonies, turn a Vast, 
fertile, prosperous Region, into a dreary 
Wilderness, impoverish Great Britain, and 
shake the Power and Independency of the 
most opulent and flourishing Empire in the 
World. 

All which your Petitioners (who repose 
Ilie highest Confidence in y our Wisdom and 
Justice) humbly pray, may be now taken 
into your seasonable Consideration, and such 
measures, pursued, as the Event may prove 
to have been concerted for the common Weal, 
of all the Subjects of Great Britain, both at 
home and abroad. 

By order of the General Assembly. 

WM. N1COLL, Speaker. 

Assembly Chamber , 

City of Neitv fork , October 13, 1764 

Extract of a Letter from the Agent of the C ol- 
ony of New York, dated 9th February , 1765. 

“ Gentlemen, 

“ Since writing my Letter of the 8th and 
Uth December, whereof Duplicates are in¬ 
closed, your original Letter of the 25th of 
October, w ith the original Representations 
and Petitions to the King, the House of Lords 
and House of Commons were delivered to me 
by Captain Jacobson, who was specially 
charged therewith. 

In const qucncc of what I tl.ea wrote and 


to the Commons , 17G4. 

considering the importance of the matters con¬ 
tained in these papers, and that the minute 
of your House'directs that I should take the 
Assistance of Counsel learned in the Law, I 
first had recourse to some Gentlemen here, of 
the highest Eminence in the profit ssion of the 
Law, and ot great knowledge in the constitu¬ 
tional Principles of this Country, Gentlemen 
of Independency, arid in no other Public 
Station than that of serving their Country in 
Parliamt nt, whose names I am not at Liberty 
to mention, since through favour only to¬ 
wards me, they were induced at my earnest 
Request to take these papers into their Con¬ 
sideration; who after deliberating maturely 
for some days thereupon gave them back to 
me, plainly telling me that for divers Reasons 
they- were absolutely unfit to be presented. 

“Upon this Judgement passed on them 
by Gentlemen of so great Abilities I would 
have rested the matter had I thought myself 
vested with any discretionary Powers over 
these Papers; 1 recurred therefore to further 
advice, and to divers members of the House 
of Commons to know whether they would 
present the Petition to the House, as you 
know that is the rule that all Petitions (those 
from the City of London excepted.) must be 
presented by a Member, and here I was 
equally disappointed, every Gentleman de¬ 
siring to be excused from so disagreeable a 
Task, and returning the papers with severe 
strictures on their extraordinary boldness, 
and the want of that due and accustomed 
respect at all times paid to the House of Com¬ 
mons, so that 1 began to doubt whether I 
should be able to find a Member that w ould 
present your Petition. 

“ In the mean time the A gents had a Meet¬ 
ing, w ho finding tIsat the Stamp Duty would 
be unquestionably moved for and earned, 
and being desirous to gain a little Time, it 
was proposed an;l agreed to, that fotu 'of them 
slum id wait on the Chancel lor of the Exche¬ 
quer and propose that if he would name the 
Quantum intended to he levied by the 'Pax, 
and would apportion it amongst the Colonies, 
each Agent would recommend to his Consti¬ 
tuents the raising the required sum in such 
manner as might best suit the circumstances 
of each Colony, but the result of this Deputa¬ 
tion was that he questioned the authority of 
the Agents to make such a proposition, mg- 
ed the difficulty of making the apportion¬ 
ment, and in fine said thathestood engaged 
Parliament to bring the matter before then . 

“ Hereupon continuing my applications to 
divers Members to present Your Petition and 
meeting still w ith objections and Repulses, I 
found at last a Gentleman wbo appeared in¬ 
clined to introduce it, in whose hands it 
remained several Days for Consideration. 
And as I found it became my duty to acquaint 
the Earl of Halifax, the Secretary of State 
for the Southern Department with the Peti¬ 
tion to the King and to the House of Lords, 
I furnished his Lordship w ith Copies of these 
papers, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
with a copy of the Petition to the House of 
Commons, and desired the Gentleman in 
whose hands the Petition was to communicate 
ihesameto Mr. Speaker. 





32 Petition of Massachusetts to the Commons, 1764. 


“ The Chanc ellor of the Exchequer having 
given Notice that he would move the Stamp 
Duties on Wednesday the 6th Instant, I had 
proposed that be fore the House should resolve 
itself in the Committee of Ways and Means 
the Petition of New York should be present¬ 
ed, that it might be under Consideration 
before the Committee had affirmed their 
Right to lay such duties; so likewise Mr. 
Montague. Agent for Virginia had resolved, 
who had prepared according to his Instruc¬ 
tions, a Petition asserting the exemption; but 
on that Day, the Gentleman who had your 
Petition, came to me in the Gailery of the 
House, and before Mr. Montague, and Mr. 
Garth, Agent for South Carolina, now Mem¬ 
ber of Parliament for Devizes, returned the 
Petition to me, informing me that upon 
communicating it to Mr. Speaker, and hav¬ 
ing himself considered it with attention, he 
found it in many places so void cf respect and 
decency towards the House, and so just.iy 
exceptionable, as must give great offence, 
and raise a general indignation in the House, 
that therefore he would not take upon him to 
present it, nor could Mr. Montague find a 
Member to present his Petition, though a 
very temperate one, and but little liable to 
objection, except that it asserted the claim of 
exemption; indeed as to your Petition, sever¬ 
al even of the Agents have made no scruple 
of declaring their doubts that it was like to 
be of greater hurt, than seitice to the In¬ 
terests of America/’ 

To the Honourable the Commons of Great 
Britain in .Parliament assembled. 

The Petition of the Council, ami House oj 
Representatives of his Majesty's Pro¬ 
vince if Massachiiss. tts Bay, 

Most humbly sHelvetia, 
rj 'HAT the act passed in the last session 
of parliament entitled, An Act grant 
ing certain duties in the British colonies 
and plantations in America , <&’e, must 
nece^sariiv bring many burdens on the 
inhabitants of those colonies and planta¬ 
tions, which your petitioners conceive, 
would not have been imposed, if a full 
representation of the state of the colonies 
had been made to this honourable house— 
That the duties laid upon foreign sugars 
and molasses by a former act of parliament 
entitled, An'act J or the better securing 
and encouraging the trade of his Majesty's 
sugar colonies in America: if the act had) 
been executed with rigor, must have had 
the effect of an absolute prohibition— 
That the duties laid on those articles by 
the present act still remain so great, that, 
howeyer otherwise intended, they must un¬ 
doubtedly have the same (ifect— 

That the importation of foreign molasses 
into this province in particular, is of the 
greatest importance, and a prohibition 
will be prejudicial to many branches of its 
trade, and will lessen the consumption of 
the manufactures of Great-Britain— 
That this importance does not arise 
merely nor principally front the necessity 
of foreign molasses, in order to its being 
consumed or distilled within this province— 


That if the trade for many years carried 
on for foreign molasses can no long* r be 
continued, a vent cannot be found for more 
than one half the fish of inferior quality, 
which is caught and cured bribe inhabi¬ 
tants of this province ; the French permit¬ 
ting no fish to he carried by foreigners to 
any of their islands, unless it be bartered 
or exchanged for molasses— 

That if there be no sale of fish of in¬ 
ferior quality, it w'df be impossible to con¬ 
tinue tiie fishery ; the* fish usually sent to 
Europe wiil then cost so dear, that the 
French will beableto undersell the Engli-h 
at all the European markets, and by this 
means one of the most valuable returns to 
Great-Britain will he utterly lost, and 
that great nursery of'seamen destroyed— 

That the restraints laid upon the ex¬ 
portation of timber, boards, staves, and 
other lumber from the colonies to Ireland 
and other parts of Europe, except Great- 
Britain, must greatly affect the trade of 
this province, and discourage the ch aring 
and improving the lands which are yet 
uncultivated— 

That the powers given by the late act 
to the court of vice-admiralty constituted 
overall America, are so expressed, as to 
leave it doubtful, whether goods seized for 
lihet importation in any of the colonies, 
may not be removed to any other colony 
wln re the judge may reside, although at 
many hundred miles distance from the 
place of s> izure— 

That, if this constiuction should be ad¬ 
mitted, many persons, however legally 
their goods may have been imported, 
must lose their property, merely from an 
inability of following after it, and making 
that defence which they might do, if the 
trial had been in the colony where the 
goods were seized ; that this construction 
would be so much the more grievous, 
seeing that in America, the officers by 
this act are indemnified in case of seizure, 
whensoever the judge of admiralty shall 
certify that there was probable cause ; 
and the claimant can neither have costs, 
nor maintain an action against the per¬ 
sons seizing, how much soever he may 
have expended in defence of his property— 

That the extension of the powers of 
courts of vice-admiralty, have so far as the 
jurisdiction of the said courts have been ex¬ 
tended, deprived the colonies of one of 
the most valuable of English liberties,, 
trials by juries— 

That every act of parliament, which in 
this respect’ distinguishes his Majesty's 
subjects in the colonies, from their fellow- 
subjects in Great Britain, must create a 
very sensible concern and grief— 

That there have been communicated to 
your petitioners sundry resolutions of the 
House of Commons in their last session, for 
imposing stamp duties or taxes upon the 
inliahitaints of the colonies consideration 
whereof was referred to the next session— 

That your petitioners acknowledge with 
all gratitude, the tenderness of the legis- 




Petition of Virginia to the King , 1764. 


Ov 


latum of Great-Briiain, of t!ie liberties \Copy of an Address to the King, from the 
and privileges of the subjects in the eolo-j Council and House of Burgesses of the Pra- 
nies, who have always judged by their vincc if Virgina. 
representatives, both of the way and man- To the King's Most Excellent Majesty. 

Jter in which internal taxes should be rai- Most Gracious Sovereign, 
sed within the respective governments— \ \/E your Majesty’s dutiful and loval sub- 

That they humbly hope the colonies in *’ jects, the Council and Burgesses of your 
general havesodein aited themselves, moreancient colony and dominion of Virginia, 
-especially during the late war, as still to| n °w met in General Assembly, beg leave to 
deserve the continuance of all those liber- assure your Majesty of our firm and inviola- 
ties and privileges which they have hither* Me attachment to your sacred person and 
to enjoyed— ' government: And as your fa thful subjects 

That although during the war the taxes b< re have at ail tunes been zealous to demon- 
upon the colonies were greater than they strate this truth, by a ready compliance with 
have been since the conclusion of it, vet *- be royal requisitions during the lat-, war, 
the sources by which the inhabitants were b Y which a heavy and oppressive debt of in au 
enabled to pay their taxes having ceas-l haI * a million hath beep incurred; so at this 
cd, and their trade being decayed, l,,ne tbe > implore permission to approach 
they are not so able to pay the tax s tl,ey| the t!uol ? e Wllb confidence, and to 

are subjected to in timeof peace, as they! e " tivat . Il,al yo “ r JS, ‘ : » est > " Iilb ‘ | K.™« ,0 1 us, r 
were ihe greater taxes in time of war— P-eased to protect 5 our people of tins Colony 

That one principal difficulty which has 1,1 tbe ^ijoyinent ot then ancient and inesti- 
mdecl the trade of the colonies pro mable right of being governed by such laws. 


ever attended the trade of the colonies pro¬ 
ceeds from the scarcity of money, which 
scarcity is caused by' the balance of trade 
with Great-Britain, which has been con¬ 
tinually' against the colonies— 

That the drawing sums of money from 
the colonies from time to time, must dis¬ 


respecting their internal polity ami taxation, 
as are derived from their own consent, with 
the approbation of their sovereign or his sub¬ 
stitutea right, which as men and tile des¬ 
cendants of Britons, they have ever quietly 
possessed, since first by roy'al permission and 
encouragement they left the mother kingdom 


tress ,he trade to that degree, that even- to lls c0111inerci and dominion, 

tual ly Great Britain must lose more by the Yoi|1 . MaJesty ’ s dutiful subjects of v jrginia 
di-monti m of the consumption of h -r man , Most humbly and unnniniousiy hojie, that 
ufactures, than all the sums which it this invaluable birth-right, descended to them 
possible for me colonies thus to pay can |Yom their ancestors, and m which they have 


countervail— 

That they humbly conceive, if the taxes 
which the inhabitants of this province art 
obliged annually to pay towards the sup¬ 
port of the internal government, the re¬ 
straint they' are under ;n their trade, foi 
the benefit of Great-Biitain, and the con 
sumption thereby occasioned oi Brius:d 
manufactures be-all considered, and liavt 
their due weight, it must appear, that the 
subjects in this province, are as fully bur* 
ihened as their fellow subjects in Brit in, 
and that they' are whilst in America, more 
beneficial to the nation than they could be 
if they should be removed to Britain, and 
there held to a full proportion of the na¬ 
tional taxes and duties of every kind. 

Your petitioners therefore most humbly 
pray, that they may he relieved from the 
burdens, which they have humbly repre- 


beon protected by your royal predecessors, 
will not be suffered to receive injury under 
the reign of your Majesty, already' so illustri¬ 
ously distinguished by y our gracious atten¬ 
tion to the liberties of the people. 

That your Majesty may long live to make 
nations happy, is the ardent prayer of your 
Faithful subjects the Council and Burgesses 
of Virgina. 

To the Right Honourable the Lords Spirit- 
util and Tediporal, in Parliament Assem¬ 
bled, 

The Memorial of the Council and Burgesses 
of Virginia, now met in General Assem¬ 
bly, 

Humbly Represents , 

i v H AT your Memorialists hope an appli- 
cation to your Lordships, the fixed and 
hereditary guardians of British libu ty , will 


Rented to have been Drought upon thembyinot bethought improper at this time, when 
the late act of parliament, as to the wisdom I measures are proposed subversive, as they 
of the honoiaal) e house shall seem meet ^conceive, of that freedom which ah men, 
that the privileges of the colonies, relativejespceiaily those who derive their constitu¬ 
te their internal taxes, winch they have sanon from Britain, have a right to enjoy : 
enjoyed, may still be continued tw them, or ami they flatter themselves that yot»r Lord- 
that the consideration of such taxes upon ships wili not look upon them as objects 
the colonies may be referred until yuurUo unworthy jour attention, as to regard 
petitioners, m conjunction with the oiherlany impropriety in ihe form or planner of 
governments, can have opportunity to 1 iheir application, for your Lordship’s pro¬ 
make a more f ull representation of the tection of their just and undoubted rights 
state and condition of the colonies, and the as Britons. 


interest Df Great Britain with tegard to 
them. 

S. WHITE, Speaker. 
M OLIVER, Secretary. 

November 3 , 1754, 


It cannot he presumption in your Me¬ 
morialists, to call themselves by this dis- 
t.ngUishedname, since they are descended 
from Britons, who left their native coun¬ 
try to extend ifs territory and dominion. 








34 Petition of Virginia to the Commons, 1764. 

ami who happily for Britain, and, as your|notstill be trusted with the property of 
Memorialists once thought for themselves their people, with whose abilities, and the 
too, effected this purpose. As our ances- least burthensome mode of taxing, (with 
ton brought with them every right and great deference to the superior wisdom ot 
privilege they could with justice claim, Parliament) they must be best acquainted, 
intheir mother kingdom, their descendants. Your Memorialists hope they shall not 
may conclude they cannot be deprived of be suspected of being actuated on this oc- 
those rights without injustice. casion by any principles but those ot the 

Your Memorialists conceive it to be a purest loyalty ami affection, as they al- 
fundamental principle of the British con- ways endeavoured, by their. conduct, to 
stitution, without which freedom can no demonst ate that they consider their con* 
when exist; that the people are not sub- nections with Great Britain, the seat of 
jectto any taxes, but such as are laid on Liberty, as their greatest happiness, 
them by their own consent, or by those The duty they owe to themselves and 
who are legally appointed to represent their po terity, lays your Memorialists 
tliem: Property must become too pre-under thi necessity of endeavouring to es- 
sarious for the genius of a free people, tablish their constitution upon its proper 
which can be taken from them at trie will foundation. And they do most humbly 
of others, who cannot know what taxes pray your Lordships to take this subject 
such people can bear, or the easiest mode into your consideration, with the attention 
of raising them ; and who are not under that is due to the well-being of the eolo- 
that restraint, which is the greatest secur nies, on which the prosperity of Great 
ity against a burthensome taxation, when Britain does in a great measure depend. 

the representatives themselves must be - 

affected by every tax imposed on the peo- To the Bight Honourable the Knights , Oil- 
pie. 1 izens , and Burgesses of Great Britain , 

Your Memorialists are therefore led into in Parliament assembled. 
an humble confidence, that your Lordships The Remonstrance of the Council and 
will not think any reason sufficient to sup- Burgesses of Virginia. 

port such a power in the British Parlia- IT apnearing by the printed votes of the 
ment, when the colonies cannot be re pre- * House o Commons of Great Britain in 
sented ; a power never before constitution- parliament assembled, that in a eoramit- 
ally assumed, and which if they have tee of the whole House the 17th day of 
a right to exercise on any occasion, March last, it was resolved. That towards 
must necessarily establish this melancholy defending, protecting and securing the 
truth, That the inhabitants of the colonies British colonies and plantations in Ameri- 
are the slaves of Britons, from whom th-y ca, it may be proper to charge certain 
are descended, and from whom they might stamp duties in the said colonies and plan- 
ex pec t every indulgence, that the obliga-jtations; and it being apprehended that 
tion3 of interest and affection can entitle the same subject which was then declined, 
them to. may be resumed and fun her pursued in a 

Your Memorialists have been invested succeeding session, the Council and Bur- 
with the right of taxing their own people, gesses of Virginia, met in General Asseni- 
from the first establishment ot a regular bly, judge it their indispensable duty in a 
government in the colony; and requisi- respectful manner, but with decent firm- 
tion3 have been constantly made to them ness, to remonstrate against such a mea- 
by their Sovereigns, on ail occasions, when sure ; that at least a cession of those rights, 
the assistance of the colony was thought which in their opinion must be infringed 
necessary, to preserve the British interest by that procedure, may not be inferred 
in America, from whence they must con-from their silence at so important a crisis, 
elude they cannot now be deprived of a They conceive it is essential to British 
right they have so long enjoyed, and which Liberty that laws imposing taxes on the 
they have never forfeited. people ought not tube made without the 

The expnices incurred during the last consent of representatives chosen by them- 
war, in compliance with the demands on selves ; who, at the same time that they 
this colony', by our late and present most are acquainted with the circumstances of 
gracious Sovereigns, have involved us m a their constituents, sustain n proportion of 
debt ot near half a million; a debt not the burthen laid on them. Tins privilege 
likely to decrease under the continued ex- inherent in the persons who discovered and 
pence we are at in pi- viding for the secur- settled these regions, could not be renoun- 
ity of the people against the incursions of ced, or forfeited by their removal hither, 
our savage neighbours, at a time when t)ie not as vagabonds and fugitives, but li- 
low state.of our staple commodity, the total censed and encouraged by their Prince, 
want of specie, and the late restrictions and animated with a laudable desire of en- 
jipon the trade of the colonies, render the larging the British dominion, and extend- 
circumstances of the people extremely dis-ing its commerce ; on the contrary it was 
tressiul, and which, if taxes are a ecu mu-secured to tliem and their descendants, 
lated upon them by the British Parliament, with all other rights and immunities of 
will make them truly deplorable. British subjects, by a royal charter, which 

Your Memorialists cannot suggest to hath been invariably recognized and cou- 
lliemselves any reason why they should firmed by His Majesty and his predeecs- 




Petition of Virginia to the Commons , 1764. 36 


soi - s »n their commissions to the seven-1 
Governors, granting a potver, ami pre 
scribing a form of legislation : accordin' 
to which, la tvs for the administration o! 
ju-tice, and for the welfare and g-ood gov 
eminent of the colony, have been enacted 
by 'he Governor, Council and General 
Assembly; and to them requisitions and 
applications for supplies have been direct 
oil by the crown. As an instance of thi 
opinion which former sovereigns entertain* 
ed of these rights and privileges, tVe beg 
leave to refer to three acts of the General 
Assembly, passed in the thirty-second year 
of the reign of King Charles the Second 
(one of which is entitled, An Act for rais¬ 
ing a public revenue for the better support 
of the government of His Majesty's Colony 


already from the scarcity of circulating 
cash amongst them, and from the little 
value of their staple at the British markets. 

And it is presumed, that adding to that 
I ad which tlii colony now labours under, 
will not be more oppressive to her people 
than destructive of the interest of Gieat 
Britain : for the plantation trade, confined 
as it is to the motht r country, hath been a 
principal means of multiplying and enrich¬ 
ing her inhabitants ; and if not too much 
discouraged, may prove an inexhaustible 
source of treasure to the nation. For satis¬ 
faction in this point, let the present state 
of the British fleet and trade be compared 
with what they were before the settlement 
of the colonies; and let it be considered, 
that whilst pr perty in land may be ac- 


o.t Virginia, imposing several duties for quired on very easy terms, in the vast mi- 
i hat purpose) which being thought abso- cultivated territory of North America, the 
Sutely necessary, were prepared in Eng- colonists v ill he mostly, if not wholly em- 
lanti, and sent oVer by their then Gpvern-iployed in agriculture ; whereby the expor- 
or. the Lord Culpepper, to be passed by tat ion of th >i commodities to Great Bri- 
the general Assembly, with a fu 1 power tain, a d the consumption of their manu* 
to give the royal assent thereto ; and which fnctures supplied from thence, Will be 
were accordingly passed alter several daily increasing. But this most Idesi table 
amendments were made to them heie. connection between Great Britain and her 
Thus tt-nder was His Majesty of the rights colonies, supported by such an happy in- 
of his American subjects ; and the remon- tertourse of reciprocal benefits as is eon- 
strants do not discern by What distinction tinually advancing the prosperity of both, 
they can be deprived of that -acred birth*'must be interrupted, if the people of the 
right and most valuable inheritance, by latter, r duced to extreme overt) should 


their fellow-subjects ; nor with what pro* 
priety they can be taxed or affected m then- 
estates by the parliament, wherein they are 
not, and indeed cannot, constitutionally 
be represented. 


be compelled to manufacture those articles 
they have been hitherto furnished with 
from the former. 

From these considerations it is hoped 
tba* the Honourable House of Commons 


And if it w ri proper for the parliament, wil not prosecute a measure, which those 
to impose taxes on the Colonies atall, which j. ho may suffer it cannot but look upon as 
the remonstrants take leave to tliink would [fitter for exiles driven from their native 
be inconsistent with the fundamental prin-jeountry after ignofninously forfeiting her 
eiples of the eonsti.Ution, the eXercise of favours and protect on, than for the pos¬ 
that power at this time would be ruinous'terity of Britons, who have at all tunes 
to Virginia, who exerted herself in the latejbeen forward to demonstrate all due rev* 
war it is feared beyond her strength; in- erence to the mother kingdom, and are 
somtieh that to redeem the money granted so instrumental in promoting her glory 
for that exigence, her people are taxed forland felicity ; and that British patriots will 
several years to come : this, with the large never consent to ihe exercise of antt-con- 
expences incurred for defending the fron- stiiutional power; which even in this re¬ 
tiers against the restless Indians, w ho have mote corner may be dangerous in ns exam- 
infested her as much since the peace as pie to the interior parts of the British 
before, is so grievous that an increase of empire, and will certainly be detrimental 
the burthen will be intolerable ; especially jto its commerce, 
as the people are very greatly distressed] 


III. Passage of the Stamp Act. 


Extructfrom the King's Speech, oU opening 
the Session, January 10,1?65. 
tT’HE experience which I have had of your 
A former conduct, makes me rely on your 
wisdom and firn ness, in promoting that obe¬ 
dience to the law s, and respect to the legisla¬ 
tive authority of this Kingdom* which is 
essentially necessary for the safety of the 
whole; and in estabiishinr such regulations 
a? may best connect and strengthen every 


part Of my dominions, for their mutual beh- 
efit and support. 

'file affection which I bear to my people, 
excites mV earnest wishes, that every session 
of parliament may be distinguished by some 
plans for the public advantage, and fov their 
relief from those difficult^ s which an expen¬ 
sive war lias brought upon th> m. My con¬ 
currence and encouragement shall never be 
wanting, where their welfare is concerned ; 








3G 


Passage 


of the S'amp Act. 


:m ,I i trust tliat for the attainment of that all your Majesty’s subjects. And we Assure 
o-rcat object, you will proceed with temper, your Majesty, that, animated with th( se sen- 
unanimity and despatch. timents, we will endeavour to deserve the 

"- confidence which your Majesty is phased to 

Extract from the Lords' Address of Thanks, repose in us, by pursuing every plan which 
Permit us, Sir, to offer to your Majesty our shall appear to us to be calculated for tlie 
humble acknow ledgments, for tin 'gracious pub ic adr antage ; and will jiioceed therein 
approbation which sour Majesty is pleased with that temper and firmness, which will 
to declare ot our former conduct :'and to give best conciliate and insure due submission to 
Your Majesty the strongest assurances, that the laws, and reverence to the legislative 
\vr will firm l\ persist in exerting our zealous authority of of Gnat Britain.* 

endeavours to proniott due ob< dience to the| - 

laws, and reverence to the legislative author- Proceedings of both Houses on the Stamp Act. 
its of this Kingdom ; and to establish such Tin ne t money bill svas that which w as 
regulations as shad appear to be most eon- on the 7th of February, ordered to be brought 
dticive to the mutual benefit and support of in upon the resolutions i>f the Committee of 
all s our Majesty’s dominions. Was s and Means that day agreed to for im- 

Wilh hearts full of duty and aff ction, sve posing no less than fifty-three different sorts 
offer our unfeigned thanks to your Majesty, of Stamp and other duties upon our Colonies 
for your paternal care and tender concern and Piantationsin America; which svas order- 
for the difficulties which have been brought ed to be prepared and broughtin by the same 
oil your subjects b> a long and burdtnsnme.gentlemen as before ineHtioned+ except, the 
war, and for your royal wishes that vour par-Alderman who had been Chairman of the 
liamentmav take every occasion for their re- Committee, but had died on tin preceding 
lief. Animated with these sentiments, we,day, and therefore the report of these resoli;- 
asstire your Majesty that w e will proceed w ith ’ions svas made by Mr. Hunter, v ho w as the 
that temper, unanimity, ai d despatch which Chairman when they were agretd to in the 
your Majesty is pleased to recommend to us Committee. In pursuance of this order, Mr. 
in the pursuit of those great and imp I'tant Chancellor of the Exchi quer, on tin 13th, 
objects to w hich your Majesty has directed!presented a bill to the House, a bill for grant- 
our attention* 


Extract from r he Commons'' Address of 
Thanks. 

Your Majesty may lie assured that sve wil'. 


svithl cheerfulness a d despatch, raise such 1 


mg certain Stamp duties, and other duties, 
in tbe. British Colonies and Plantations in 
America; for applying the same towards fur¬ 
ther defraying the expenses of defending, 
protecting and securing such Col nies and 


supplies as sba I he found necessary for the 
current service of the year. And being thor¬ 
oughly sensible of your Majesty’s paternal 
concern for the relief imd welfart 
people, in recoinmi tiding to us the improve¬ 
ment of the public revenue,and the diminu¬ 
tion of the national debt, on which the future 
saf* ty of Great Britain must depend, w e wiil 
apply ourselves with the utmost zeal and 
assiduity to carry into execution every pro¬ 
per measure winch may contribute to these 
great and salutary purposes, and which the 
state of your Majesty's dominions, and the 
circumstances of the times, shall require. 


P.mutations. The hid w as then ret 


fi rst 


time,and ordered to be rt ad a si cond time on 
the 15th; when, ini mediately after this order 
was r< ad, there w i re off red to he presented 
of your to the House a petition of Ed ward Montague, 
Agent for the Province of Virginia, praying 
to take their unhappy circumstances into 
consideration; ami that their House of Bur¬ 
et sses might be continued in ibe 


of tin rights and privileges they 


possession 
had so long 
and uninterruptedly enjoyed ; and that they 
might be lie rel by the ir counsel against the 
bib that might be intended to charge Stamp 
or any other duties on the Colony of Virginia. 
A Iso a petition of the GoVerr or and Com* 



* Sir Robert Walpole is said to hav» had much clearer and jus ter notions concerning the 
means of making the British Colonie s pay the motlu r country for their defence, and e ven 



me,during my administration, to encourage tin trade of the American Colonies in the 
utmost latitude, (ray it has been recessan to pass over some irregularities in their trade 



„ -j „ , ,o. .- .is they increase m 

their foreign American trade, more of our prod up will be wanted. This is taxing them 
mor agreeably both to their own constitute i and to otirs.*’ Ann. Ue^is h 

- 1 - Mr. Alderman Marshe Dickerson, Mr. J. t kinson. Mr. Chancellor of the Excheauer 
the Lord North, Sir John Turner. Mr Hunter, Mr. Harris, of Christ Church, Mr. Attorney 
General, Mr. Solicitor General,and Mr. Whately. ’ } 






Passage of the Stamp Act. 


Q 

o i 


fcittes on thesaid Colony; ancl that the resohi4only tedious but useless, as every man eon* 
tion ot that House,in t!ie then last Session ofjeerned in trade or business must have a copy 
parliament, might not be carried into execu- i ofthe act in his possession, that he may have 
tion, by a bill for imposing a Stamp duty on| recourse to it upon every occasion, in order 
ne C oiouK s to prevent his being guilty of a breach of it. 

And also a petition of Win. Middleton, Esq; and hereby subjecting himself to a penalty, 
Daniel Hughes, Esq; Joseph Nutt, Esq; in and as a great number of new offences, new 
behalf of themselves, and the rest of the in-penalties and new offices, and officers, are 
habitants and owners of property in his Ma by this act created we cannot wonder at 
jesty s Province of South Carolina, in Arneri- its being extremely’ disgustful to our fellow 
ca, prayuig that the House Would not approve-subjects in America. History of Pailia- 
of any bid that might be offered, charging meat. 

Stamp Duties in the Piovince of South Caro- - 

j Extractfrom the King's Speech, at the close 
v. pon each of these respective petitions a' of the Session, May 25. 1765. 

motion was made, that th.e petition be brought! I have seen w ith the most perfect appro- 
ftp; hut upon the question’s being respi-c bation, that you have employed this season of 
*ne;y put.it was upon a division carried in tranquillity in promoting those objects which 
the negative by 245 to 4‘J; and then the bill which l have recommendtd to your atten- 
\yas read a second time, and committed to a tion ; and in framing such regulations as may 
Committee ofthe whole House, for the 18th, j best enforce the just authority of the iegisla- 
when the Committee went through the bill ture, and at the same time secure and extend 
with amendments, and the House ordered,the commerce, and unite the interests, of 
the report to be received the next morning; every part of my dominions. 


which it accordingly was, and several ofthe 
amendments being agrefd to, the further 
consideration of the report was adjourned 
til! the 21st; when the residue of the amend¬ 
ments being read a second time, one of them 
was disagreed to, and the rest were, with an 
amendment to one of them agreed to ; and 
then several clauses were added, and several 
amendments made by the House ; afterwliich 
the bill with the amendment was ordered to 
be ingrossed. 

On the 27th the bill which was now entitled, 
“a hill for granting and applying certain 
“ Stamp Duties and other Duties in the Bri¬ 
tish Colonies and Plantations in America, 
“towards further paying the expenses of 
“ defending, protecting, and securing the 
“same; and for amending such parts of tht 
“ several acts of Parliament, relating to the 
“ trade and revenues of the said Colonies and 
“ Plantations,as direct ihe manner of deter- 
“ mining and recovering the penalties and 
“forfeitures therein mentioned,” was read a 
third time, and a clause was added by way of 
ryder: and several aim ndments were made 
by the House to the Bill; after which it was 
resolved that the Bill do pass; and Mr. Pater 
son was ordered to carry the Bill to the Lords, 
and desire their concurrence; which their 
Lordships granted without any amendment: 
and on the 22d of March, it received the roy¬ 
al assent by commission. 

'Phis Act, besides describing all the sorts 
of writings, and other things thereby made 
liable to a Stamp Duty, contains all the 
clauses almost that are inserted in any of our 
Stamp Duty laws, for regulating and enforc¬ 
ing tiie payment of our Stamp Duties; and 
towards the end of it, there at e clauses for 
making the penalties and forft itures incurred 
by this act, or by the American duty act. of 
tli 4th of Gtorge III. or any other act rela 
ting tn the trade or revenues ofthe said Colo¬ 
nies or Plantations, recoverable before any 
court of law or admiralty, in the Colony 
where the offence w as comipitt. d, at the 
election of the informer or piosecutor; an 
abstract of this act would therefore be not 


The cheerfulness and prudence which you 
have shown, in providing for the necessary 
expenses ofthe present year, deserve my par¬ 
ticular acknowledgments. 

The many Bills which you have formed 
for the improvement and augmentation of 
the revenue in its several branches, and the 
carts care which you have taken to disch.rge 
a part ofthe national debt, are the most eff* c~ 
tual methods t establish the public credit 
upon the suiest foundations, and to aileviate 
by degrees the burdens of my people. 

Summary of Argument against the Stamp 
Act, from the Annual Register. 

It must be owned, to the honour of par¬ 
liament, that, however smoothly the vote 
concerning the propriety of lay ing a stamp 
duty on llie colonies might liaVe passed 
the lower house in the preceding session, the 
final lay ing it on the present was attended 
with no small debates, both as to the British 
l< gisiature’s right to tax the colonies without 
their concurrence, and the expediency of 
exercising that right, if any, for the present 
purpose; though the petitions questioning 
ihe jurisdiction of parliament were notsutfer- 
ed to be read in the house, and the agents for 
the colonies refuse d to concur in another pe¬ 
tition, which might have established a prece¬ 
dent, for their being heard in behalf of 
their respective colonies against the tax. 
Possibly, these gentlemen imagined that 
the petitioning for a suspension of the 
vote as a favour, might be deemed an ac¬ 
knowledgement, that their principals had no 
right to oppose the execution of it when pas¬ 
sed into a law ; or a surrender of that right, 
allowing they ever bad any. 

It was urged in favour of the colonies, that 
ihosewho first planted them were not only 
driven out of (he mother country by persecu¬ 
tion, but had left it at their own risk and ex¬ 
pense; that being thus forsaken, or rather 
• orse treated, by her, all ties, except those 
common to mankind, were dissolved be¬ 
tween them: they absolved from all duty of 
obedience to her, as she dispensed herself 


VOL. X. 







38 


Passage of the Stamp Jlct. 


from all duty of protection to them; that if 
the y accepted of any royal chaiters on the 
occasion, it was done through mere necessity; 
and that, as this necessity was not of then 
own making, these charters could not b> 
binding upon them; that even allowing these 
charters to be binding, they were only bound 
thereby to that allegiance, which the supreme 
head of the realm might claim indiscrimi¬ 
nately from all its subjects. 

That it was extremely absurd, that they 
should be still thought to owe any submission 
to the k gis ative power of Great Britain which 
li not authority enough to shield them 
ag nst the violences of the executive; and 
r,i absurd still that the people of Great 
Br t in should pretend to exercise over them 
rights,which that very people affirm they 
night justly oppose, if claimed over them¬ 
selves by others. 

That it cannot be imagined, that, when 
the same people of Great Briti n contended 
with the crown, it could be with a view or 
gaining these rights, which the crown might 
have usurped over others, and not merely 
recovering those, which the same crown arbi¬ 
trarily claimed over themselves; that, there¬ 
fore, allowing their original charters to be 
binding, as tiny had been deprived of them 
in an arbitrary and tyrannical manner, such 


profit in Ireland, and their immediate des¬ 
cendants settled in that country, and of the 
great number of Irish noblemen and ge ntle¬ 
men in both houses of the British Parliament, 
and the greater number still constantly resid- 
ng in Great Britain; and that, notwithstand¬ 
ing, the British parliament never claimed any 
right to tax the people of Ireland, in virtue 
of their being thus virtually represented 
amongst them. ( 

That, whatever assistance the people ot 
Great Britain might have given to the peo¬ 
ple of the colonies, it must have been given 
either from motives of humanity and frater¬ 
nal alf etion or with a view of being one day 
repaid for it, and not as the price of their 
liberty and independence; at east the colo¬ 
nies could never be presumed to have accep¬ 
ted it in that light; that, if given from mo¬ 
tives of humanity and fraternal affection, as 
the people of the colonies had never given 
the mother country any room to complain of 
their want of gratitude, so they never should; 
if given with a view of being one day repaid 
for it, they were willing to come to a fair ac¬ 
count, which, allowing for the assistance they' 
themselves had often given the mother coun¬ 
try, for what they must have lost, and the 
mother country must have got, In prevent¬ 
ing their selling to others at higher juices 


as the peopleof Great Britain would not nowithan they could sell to her, and their buying 
by any means suffer, they should be consid-jfroni others at lower prices than they could 
ered as still entitled to tile full benefit of Inn from her, would, they apprehended, not 
them ; that their being bound by these char-!turn out to her advantage so much as she 
ters to make no aws, but such as, allowing imagined. 

for the difference of circumstances, should jThat their having heretofore submitted to 


not clash with those of England, no more 
subjected them to the parliament of England, 
than their having been laid under the same 
restraint with regard to the laws of Scotland 
or any other country, would have subjected 
them to the parliament of Scotland, or the 
supreme authority of any other country; 
tiiat, by these charters, they had a right to 
tax themselves for their own support and de¬ 
fence. 

That it w as their birth-right, even as the 
descendents of Englishmen, not to lie taxed 
by any but their own representatives; that, 
so far from being actually represented in the 
parliament of Great Britain, they were not 
even virtually represented there, as the mean¬ 
est inhabitants of Great Britain are ? in con 
sequence of their intimate connection with 


law s made by the British parliament, for their 
internal government, could no more be 
brought as a precedent against them, than 
against the English themselves for their tame¬ 
ness under the dictates of an Henry, or the 
rod of a star chamber; the tyranny of many 
being as grievous to human nature as that of 
a few, and the tyranny of a few as grievous 
as that of a single person. 

That, if liberty was the due of those who 
had sense enough to know the value of it, and 
courage enough to expose themselves to every 
danger and fatigue to acquire it, they were 
betten ntitled to it than even their brethren 
of Great Britain, since, besides facing, in the 
w ilds of America, much more dreadful ene¬ 
mies, than the friends of liberty they left 
behind them could expect to meet in the fields 


those who ate actually represented; that, if of Great Britain, they had renounced not 


laws made by the British parliament to bind 
all except its own members, or even all except 
such members and those actually represented 
by them, vvouid be deemed, as most certainly 
they would, to the highest degree oppressive 
and unconstitutional, and resisted according¬ 
ly, by the rest of the inhabitants, though vir- 
'titally settled ; how much more oppres¬ 
sive and unconstitutional, must not such 
laws aujiear to those, who could not be said to 
be either actually or virtually represented? 

That the people of Ireland were much 
more virtually represented in the parliament 
of Great Britain, than it was even pretended 
t he people of the colonies could be, in conse¬ 
quence oftlie great number of Englishmen 


only their native soil, the love of which is so 
congenial with the human mind.andail those 
tender charities inseparable from it, but ex¬ 
posed themselves to all the risks and hard- 
hips unavoidable in a long voyage ? and, 
after escaping the danger of being swallowed 
up by the waves, to the still more cruel danger 
of perishing ashore by a slow famine. 

Thai, if in the first years of their existence 
me of them w as guilty of some intemperate 
sallies, and all exposed to enemies which re¬ 
quired the interposition and assistance of an 
English parliament, they were now most of 
them arrived at such a degree of maturity in 
point of policy and strength, as in a great 
measure took away the necessity of such 


possesesd of estates and places of trust andjnlerposition and assistance for the future. 









39 


Passage of th 

At least that interposition and assistance 
would not be the less effectual for the colo¬ 
nies being; represented in the British parlia¬ 
ment, which was ali the indulgence those 
colonies contended for. 

/ That, allowing the British parliament’s 
tight to make law's for the colonies, and even 
tax them without their concurrence, then 
lay many objections against ali the duties 
lately imposed on the colonies, and more still 
and weightier against that of the stamps now 
proposed to be laid upon them; that where¬ 
as those stamp-duties w f ere laid gradually on 
the people of Great Britain, they w ere to hi 
saddled all at once, with all their increased 
weight, on those of the colonies; that, if those 
duties were thought so grievous in England, 
on account of the great variety of occasions 
in which they were payable, and the great 
number of heavy penalties to which the best 
meaning persons were liable for not paying 
them, or not strictly conforming to all the 
numerous penal clauses in them, they must 
be to the last degree oppressive in the colo¬ 
nies, where the p. ople m general could noi 
be supposed so conversant m matters of this 
kind, and numbers did not understand evt n 
the language of these intricate laws, so much 
outofthe course of what common sense alone 
might suggest to them as their duty, and coo - 
mon honesty engage them to practise, the 
almost only rule of action, and motive toil, 
compatible with that encouragement, which 
it is proper to give every new settler in every 
country, especially foreigners, in such a 

ClMHitry aa AiDCUVA* 

Such were the principal arguments now 
urged in Great Britain, most of them within 
doors, against the justice of laying any tax 
at a.I, and the inconveniency of laying the 
stamp-tax in particular, upon the British col 
onies in America. 

As to the fact of a strenuous opposition to 
the Stamp Act, I sat as a stranger in your 
gallery when the Act was under considera¬ 
tion. Far from any thing inflammatory. I 
never heard a more languid debate in this 
House. No more than two or three gentle¬ 
men, as I remember, spoke against the act. 
and that with great reserve and remarkable 
temper. There was but one division in the 
whole progress of this bill; and the minority 
did not reach to morejlhan 39 or 40. In the 
House of Lords I do not recollect that there 
was any debate or division at all. I am sure 
there was no protest. In fact, the affair 
passed with so very, very little noise, that in 
town they scarcely knew the nature of w hat 
you were doing '1 he opposition to the bill 
in England never could have done this mis¬ 
chief, beeausi there scarcely ever was less 
of opposition to a Bill of consequence.— 
Burke's Speech on American Taxation. 

Extract of a Letter from J. Mauduit , Esrj 

Agent in England, for the Province of 

Massachusetts, to the Secretary. London. 

Eeb. 9, 17(35. 

“ I have now to acquaint the great and 
genera: Court, that a stamp duty was propos¬ 
ed jn the House of Commons, on ihe Oth in- 


c Si amp Act. 

stant. It was opened, by showing, that as 
the Colonies have a right to proto, tion, so 
the Parliament has a right to tax them in aid 
thereof. Their severe, charters were refer¬ 
red to, and declared to be all under the con¬ 
trol of Parliament. To this right of Parlia¬ 
ment, every member w ho approved th*- mea¬ 
sure, declared his assent; so that the only 
question was, whether a stamp duty should 
now be laid ; and this was carried on a deci¬ 
sion of fourteen. Petitions from Virginia 
and New York were offered by their agent, 
to be presented, but no member would tax- - 
them ; and Mr. Jackson w ho had outs m s 
pocket, agreeably to what he and 1 settl e, 
plainly saw it was, at that time fittest to ;e- 
main there.” 

In a Letter from Mr. Mauduit. to the Com¬ 
mittee of the House of Representatives, da¬ 
ted Loudon. February 19. 1765; he says — 
“ Mr. Grenville opened the fitness of lay¬ 
ing this (the Stamp) tax on the Colonies, and 
the incontestable right of Parliament to do it, 
without noticing the New-Ywvk address, or 
the Assembly’s letter to me; both which pa¬ 
pers were tacked together,anti intended to he 
laid before the House, as a proof of an undti- 
tiful temper. Only one member, in the 
warmth of his speech, glanced at it; but in 
this he had no second. After about seven 
hours’ debate, there w as no other question, 
(nor indeed could be,) but whether a stamp 
duty should now be laid. The House divid¬ 
ed upon it. and it was carried four to one.” 

Boston, April 4, 1765, We have seen the 
Resolves of the House of Commons respect¬ 
ing a Stamp Duty in the Colonies, fifty-five 
in number, a terrible string of them. 

It is said that the following observation 
was made by a Member, on the Hardships of 
the above-mentioned Resolves, viz. “ That 
where the Colonies stand on such high pre¬ 
tensions of Independence on the Supreme 
Legislative Authority of Great Britain, there 
is no moderating any tiling.” 

We hear that at the Debate in the House 
of Commons, when the Resolves passed, net 
a Man spoke who did not declare his Opin¬ 
ion that America ought to be taxed ; nor 
would any one introduce a Petition w hich 
would impeach the Parliament's Right, even 
th most interested, and those w ho are of the 
Opposition, all refused to present such a Pe¬ 
tition. 

Extract of a Letter from a gentleman in 
London, to his friend in Charleston , S. C. 
dated February 8, 1765. 

After several meetings and consultations of 
the Agents for the colonies, as to the mode and 
measure of opposition to be given to the 
Stamp Rill, ali of them having instructions 
to suggest the rights and privileges of the 
Colonies, and to dispute (as it were) the pow¬ 
er of Parliament, it became necessary for 
those agents, who were not in Parliament 
to learn if Petitions disputing that power, 
would be received in the House. In the 
mean time if possible to ward off the intend 
vd blow, as most of the colonics had signified 





40 


Passage of the Stamp Jlct . 


their inclination to assist the mother country of Members, ami that a. great part eyenot 
upon proper requisitions from hence, though 
at present labouring under a heavy debt, it 
was agreed that it might have a good effect 
to have that inclination made known to the 
administration: For that purpose, Mr. 

Garth, Dr. Franklin, Mr. Jackson, and Mr. 

Mr. Ingersoll, were desired by t he rest of the 
agents to attend the Chancellor of the Ex¬ 
chequer, who assured them of bis readiness 
and desire to pursue such measures only as 
might give universal satisfaction ; but that 
he was bound m honour to Parliament, to 
call for the Resolution of last year, and to 
propose to the House the carrying into exe¬ 
cution a Stamp Duty in ail America; adding, 
if the House should think on any other me¬ 
thod of procuring assistance from America, 
more eligible,he should not object to it. 

Accordingly on the ctli inst. he proposed 
to the Committee ol Ways and Means, the 
measure the House by the resolution of last 
year, thought might be proper and necessary, 
that of charging Stamp Duties in America. 

The arguments urged, tended to prove, that 
the colonies were all virtually represented in 
Parliament, in the same manner as those of 
the subjects in Great Britain, who did not 
vote for representatives; sundry acts of Par¬ 
liament were recited, that had from time 
to time been enacted, imposing duties on 


the land in this country, gives no share in the 
choice of the Legislature, yet all are taxable, 
and must be so necessarily ; for the whole ot 
our Statute Law wmnd tali to the ground, if 
the consent ot all bound by the Laws contain¬ 
ed in it was necessary to the making it a 
Law. 

But I have argued, that the Parliament 
may choose whether they wil. tax America 
or not; that the} have a Right constitution¬ 
ally to tax Ireland, yet do not exercise that 
Right; that l should think our Liberties 
endangered by their doing so ; that 1 have 
the same objections, and some stronger, 
against their taxing Americ a; that it is not 
necessary; that there are other ways of rais¬ 
ing all the Money there, requisite for 
public service ; that such ways have not yet 
failed, but the Colonit s have in general show¬ 
ed the utmost alacrity to contribute to the 
common cause; that if two or three have not 
done theii duty, it is hard all should suffer 
for the fault of two or three ; that 1 think 
therefore there aie the strongest reasons why, 
admitting that the Parliament is the univer¬ 
sal unlimited Legislature ot the Rvitish Do¬ 
minions, as it undoubtedly is, it should yet 
voluntarily set bounds to the exercise of its 
power; and that if the majority of Parlia¬ 
ment think they ought not to set these 


the American subjects ; that there could noi bounds, then they should give a share of the 
be a distinction between the powers of iegis- Election of the Legislature to the American 
lation and taxation ; accounts were produc-j Colonies; that they have done so formerly to 
ed of the several sums raised by each colony, much less considerable parts of the British 
on the continent, and in tlic w«st inches, ro-j Dominions i tnat witKoxit Jomg i mmi 
wards defraying their respective civil es-jtliink the Liberties of America in danger, and 
tablishments, in the whole amounting to'the Liberties of Great Britain too ; that the 
L75,000 per annum, or thereabouts there'former cannot be injured without danger to 
were likewise stated accounts of the severaljthe latter ; I do not say the liberty of A mer- 
debts the Colonies stood charged with at ica will be lost, merely in the having no 
present, amounting in the whole to about share in the election of members, but I mean 
L900,000 Sterling, all of which would be paid it will want the means it now has, and that 
otf before the year 1769; that, therefore, it every other part of the British Dominions 
was hut reasonable the colonies should con-has, to defend itself against the Oppn ssions 
tribute at least to take off that part of the of the Officers of the Crow n, in ease Asseni- 
liurthen from the mother country which con- blit s should be rendered useless, or little ne- 
eerns the protection and defence of them- eessary, which, however, I thank God, they 
selves: The power of Parliament was as-are not yet. 

serted, and so universally agreed to, that noj - 

petition disputing it will be received. The !From the Virginia Gazette, of Sept. 20, 1765. 
advocates for the Colonies therefore chose to Calculations of the Costs of sundry sorts of 

Blanks arising from the Stamp Duty only, 
besides the cost of paper and the printing . 
For a ream (20 quires,) of— Sterling. 

Bail Bonds, two on a sheet - 96 1. 

four on a sheet - - 192/. 

All original papers in courts of pro¬ 
bate or town Council, two on a sheet 48/. 

four on a sheet - 96/. 

Blank Bonds for sums not exceeding 
10/. two on a sheet - - 24/. 

for sums from 10/. to 20/. - 48/. 

for sums from 20/. to 30/. - 72/. 

Paper to record judgments on, a 
whole sheet to a judgment - 96/. 

if two on a sheet - - 192/. 

Policies of Assurance, two on a sheet 240/. 
Powers of Attorney, two on a sheet 108/. 
Indentures, two on a sheet - 120/, 

Besides a great number of papers more that 
will be very costly. 


take the sense of the House upon a question 
for adjourning; Air. Alderman Beckford 
moved it, seconded by Sir William Meredith, 
they divided the committee about midnight, 
hut it was carried against them by two hun¬ 
dred and forty-five to forty-nine, 

[(Xj=See letter of Mr. Charles, Agent of the 
Colony of New York, dated Februaiy 9, 
1765, page 31.] 

Extract of a Letter from a member of Par¬ 
liament, to a friend in America, dated 
London, June7, 1765. 

As to the Stamp Act, I opposed it, as I de 
dared it my intention to do all internal taxes; 
not because the People of America were un 
represented in Par lament, and therefore not 
constitutionally taxable; I well know that 
much the greater part of the Inhabitants o' 
Great Britain have no votes in the Election 






Virginia Resolutions , May 29 , 1765 . 


41 


IV. V irginia Resolutions on Taxation ; and Massachusetts Circular , 


recommending a Congress of the Colonies. 


w 


Virginia 
7 HE RE 


Resolutions , May 29, 1765. proceedings, or for preventing the fatal eon- 
1 /in. lvEAS the honourable House of Com- sequences which they naturally tend to pro- 
■nons in England, have of late draw n (luce, we think it our duty to submit to your 
into question, how far the General Assembly Majesty’s consideration, whether, in the 
of this colony hath power to enact laws for meantime, it may not be expedient to dis- 
laying taxes and imposing duties, payable by patch immediate instructions to your Majes- 
the people of this, his Majesty’s most ancient ty’s servants in your Majesty’s colony of Vir- 
colony; for settling and ascertaing the same ginia, w ho may be concerned in enforcing 
to all future times, the House of Burgesses the execution of the law for levying the duty 
of this present General Assembly have come upon stamps, that they do each in their seve- 
to the several following resolutions: ral departments, in support of the authority 

Resolved. That the first adventurers and of Parliament, vigorously exert themselves, 
settlers of this, his Majesty’s colony and do-and, with becoming resolution upon every 
minion, brought with them and transmitted occasion, exact a due obedience to all the 
to their posterity, and all other his Majesty’s; law s of the land.” 

subjects, since inhabiting in this, his Majes-; - 

ty‘s said colony,all the privileges, franchises,! MASSACHUSETTS CIRCULAR, 

and immunities, that have at any time been Proceedings of the House of Representatives 
held, enjoyed, and possessed by the people of Massachusetts Bay, June 6, 1765. 
of Great Biitain. I The House taking into consideration the 

Resolved, That by two royal charters gran-! many difficulties to which the Colonies are 
ted by King James the first, the colonists, and must be reduced by the operation of 
aforesaid, are declared entitled to all the priv- some acts of Parliament; after some time 
ileges, liberties, and immunities, of denizens spent, 

and natural born subjects, to all intents and j On a motion made and seconded. Order- 
purposes, as if they had been abiding and ed that 
born within the realm of England. 


Resolved , That the taxation of the people 
by themselves, or by persons chosen by them¬ 
selves to represent them, w ho can only know 
what taxes the people are able to bear, and 
the easiest mode of raising them, and are 
equally affected by such taxes themselves, is 
the distinguishing characteristic of British 
freedom, and wi’liout w liich the ancient con¬ 
stitution cannot subsist. 

Resolved , That his Majesty’s liege people 


hat Mr.. Speaker, Brigadier Ruggles, 
Col. Partridge, Col. Worthington, General 
Winslow,Mr. Otis, Mr. Cushing, Col. Salton- 
stall, and Capt. Sheafe, be a committee to 
consider what measures had best be taken, 
,and make report. 

The committee appointed fbr that purpose, 
reported as follow s: 

The committee appointed to consider what 
dutiful, loyal, and humble address may be 
proper to make to our Gracious Sovereign 
u and his Parliament, in relation to the several 

of this most ancient colony/ have uninter-acts passed for levying duties and taxes on 
ruptedly enjoyed the right of being thus the Colonies, have attended that serv ice, and 
governed by their own assembly in the arti- are humbly of opinion:— 
cle of'their taxes and internal police, and That it is highly expedient there should 
that the same bath never been forfeited, or be a meeting as soon as may be, of the com- 
any other way given up, but hath been con- niittees from the Houses of Representatives 
staiitly recognized by the king and people,and Burgesses in the several Colonies on this 
of Great Britain. Continent, to consult together on the present 

Resolved, therefore, That the genera! as-lcircumstances of the Colonies, and the diffi- 
sembly of this colony have the sole right and culties to which they are, and‘must be re- 
pow r er to lay taxes and impositions upon the dueed by the operation of the late acts of 
inhabitants’of this colony; and that every Parliament for levying duties and taxes on 
attempt to vest such power in any person or the Colonies, and to consider of a general 
persons whatsoever, other than the general and humble address to his Majesty and the 
assembly aforesaid, has a manifest tendency Parliament to implore relief, 
to destroy British as well as American free-, And the committee are further of opinion 
,| om , ‘ [that a meeting of such committees should be 

—— held at New-York, on the first Tuesday of 

The foregoing Resolutions being laid before October next, and that a committee of three 
the Roa d of Trade, they on the Xlth of persons be chosen by the House, on the part 
August represented to the King in council, of this Province, to attend the same. 

*• That the resolutions, as they contain an And that letters be forthw ith prepared and 
absolute disavowal of the right of the Parlia- transmitted to the respective Speakers of the 
mentof Great Britain to impose taxes upon several Houses of Representatives or Bun- 
her colonies, and a daring attack upon the gesses in the Colonies aforesaid, advising 
constitution of this country, appear to us them of the resolution of this House thereon, 
to require an immediate and serious atten- and inviting such Houses of Representatives 
tion ; and w hatever further measures your or Burgesses to join this with their commit- 
Majesty may. with the advice of your eoun-tees in the meeting, and for the purposes 
cil, judge proper to be taken either for ex-aforesaid. 

pressing your royal disapprobation of these. And that a proper letter be prepared and 

4 * 







42 


Massachusetts Circular , Jthie 8, 1765. 


forwarded to the Agent of the Province on 
these matters in the mean time. 

Read and accepted, and ordered, that 
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Otis, and Mr. Lee, he a 
committee to prepare a draft of letters to be 
sent to the respective Speakers of the several 
Houses of Representatives in the Colonies, 
and make Report. 

The committee appointed for that purpose, 
reported the following draft : 


iesty’s consideration, to the end that such 


Province of Massachusetts Bay , Boston, 
June 8, 1765. 

Sir, The house of representatives of this 
province, in the present session of the 
general court, have unanimously agreed to 
propose a meeting, as soon as may be, of com¬ 
mittees, from the houses of representatives or 
burges$es of the several British colonies on 
this continent, to consult together on the pre¬ 
sent circumstances of the colonies, and the 
difficulties to which they are, and must be 
reduced, by the operation of the acts of par¬ 
liament for levying duties and taxes on the 
colonies; and to consider of a general, and 
■United, dutiful, loyal and humble representa¬ 
tion oftheir condition, to his Majesty and the 
Parliament, and to implore relief The house 
of representatives of this province have also 
voted to propose, l hat such meeting be at 


directions might be given, as the nature and 
importance of the matter should appear to 
require. 

Since this, and since the passing the act of 
parliament for levying a stamp duty in 
America, the grounds of which act gave 
rise to the reflections contained in the above- 
mentioned letter, the same spirit that dictated 
the sentiments it expresses, has appeared 
throughout the whole proceedings of the said 
house of representatives. 

Upon the election of counsellors, who, by 
the consitution of this colony, are annually 
chosen by the house of representatives, the 
strongest endeavours were used to preclude 
your Majesty's secretary of state, who has al¬ 
ways been a member of the council from his 
seat at that board ; and this, as your Majesty’s 
governor represents, merely on account of 
his having received an appointment (unso¬ 
licited) to be a distributor of the stamps: and 
the motion made in that house, to discon¬ 
tinue the annual salary allowed for the sup¬ 
port of your Majesty’s governor, upon 
which proceeding we have this (lav made a 
separate representation to your Majesty, 
seems to have arisen from the same motives. 
These, however, being only attempts of 


next; and have appointed a committee of 
three of their members to attend that service, 
with such as the other houses of representa¬ 
tives, or burgesses, in the several colonies 
mav think fit to appoint to meet them. And 
the committee of the house,of representatives 
ofthis province, are directed to repair to said 
New-York, on said first Tuesday in October 
next, accordingly. 

If, therefore, your honourable house should 
agree to this proposal, it would be accepta 
hie, that as early notice of it as possible 
might be transmitted to the speaker of tin 
house of representatives ofthis province. 

SAMUEL WHITE, Speaker. 
To the Speaker, 8tc. 


in dividuals in the community, would not 


the city of Vew-York, in tin- province of either hav e r. quired or deserved your Ma- 
Nevv-York. on the first Tuesday in Octobev jestv’s attention, in the light in which 

J we view them; hut it further appears, from 


Representation of the Lords Commissioners 
for Trade and Plantations , touching the 
Proceedings and Resolutions of the House 
of Representatives of Massachusetts Bay, 
‘with respect to the Act for levying a Du¬ 
ty upon Stamps in America, and to other 
Acts of Parliament of Great Britain. 

To the King's Most Excellent Majesty. 

May it please your Majesty , 
r PHE house of representatives of yourMajes- 
fy’s province of Massachuset’s Bay having 
last year, printed and published, in the jour¬ 
nals of their proceedings, a letter from a com 


the journals of the house of representatives 
in their last session, that “ this asst mbly, hav¬ 
ing thought fit to make the pro >vi» ty and 
expediency of the stamp act, and of other 
acts of parliament, a subject of open question 
and discussion,” came to several resolutions 
and proceedings thereupon, which the y kept 
secret till (lie last day of (heir session, when 
they published them in their printed jour- 
na s—[Then follow the resolutions—'1 hen the 
board of trade proceeds thus:] The object 
of the resolutions and proceedings of the 
house of representatives of Massachusetts 
Bay, is to recommend to, and induce, the rest 
of your Majesty’s colonies in America, to 
join in a general congress of committees Bom 
the several assemblies, independent of the 
other branches of the legislature, and without 
any previous application to your Majesty, 
to consult r and deliberate upon the acts of tile 
parliament ofthis kingdom. As this appears 
to us to he the first instance of a general con¬ 
gress, appointed by tbe assemblies of the colo¬ 
nies without the authority of the crown;a 
measure which we conceive of dangerous 
tendency in itself, and more especially so, 
v\ lien taken for the purposes expressed in the 
above mentioned resolution, and connected 
with the spirit that has appeared throughout 
the whole conduct of this particular assem- 


mittee of that house to their agent here; injbly , we therefore think it our mdispensible 
which letter the acts and resolutions of the duty to submit this matter to vottr Majesty’s 

..i: - 4 . r- * • ... ... i‘ _ * .1 ... .• _ 1 t* •• ° J 


parliament of Great Britain were treated'consideration, for such directions as your 
with the most indecent disrespect, and prin-Majesty, with the advice of your council, 
"'.'i"" * ’ ‘ .~ £ ’ il - w J expedient to give 


ciples tending to a denial of the right of par-mev think proper and 
liamei t to levy taxes upon your Majesty’, thereupon. 


subjects in th colonies, were openly avowed;« All which ismost humbly submitted, &c, 
our predecessors in office thought it theirj Whitehall^ October 1, 1765, 
duty fo transmit this transaction o your Ma- 1 







Providence, Pc I. Instructions, August 13, 17GS. 43 


V. Some of Ike Proceedings in the Colonies, relative to 
Parliament, and the Rights of Colonies. 


the Acts of 


Providence, R. I. 13 Aug. 1765. tue, that you will pay more attention to merit, 
Instructions given by the Town of Provi- skill in public business, and a zeai for the 
dencc, R. I. on IhelZth of August, 176 5, to welfare of the Colonies, than to any other 
their Deputies in the General Assembly, consideration. 

A S a full and free enjoynn nt of British Lib- We likewise request you to do all in your 
erty, and of our particular rights as colo- power,consistent with our relations to Great 
nists, long since precise*) known and ascer-Britain, tow ids postponing the introduction 
tained, by uninterrupted practice and usage, of the Stamp Act, into this Colony until the 
from the first settlement of this country down Colonies may have an opportunity to be 
to this time, is of unspeakable vaim , and siren- heard in defence of such just rights, as they 
uously to be contended for by the dutiful sub-will be deprived of by an execution of it: 
jectsof the best frame of government in the And to this end, that you endeavour to pro¬ 
world, any attempts to deprive them thereof cure our essential rights and privileges to be 
must be very alarming, and ought to be op-asserted in General Assembly, by votes or 
posed, although in a decent manner, yet with resolves, to the following effect, viz. 
the utmost firmness. 1. 1 hat the first adventurers, settlers, of 

We conceive that some late resolutions of this his Majesty’s Colony and Dominion of 
the Parliament of Great Britain, for taxing Rhode Islam!, and Providence Plantations, 
us without our own consent,have a tendency brought with them, and transmitted to their 
to divest us of our most v tluabie privileges as posterity, and all other his Majesty’s subjects 
Englishmen ; and that the measures adopted since inhabited in this his Majesty’s ('ninny, 
by the Ministry and the Parliament, in this all the privileges and immunities, that have at 
behalf, if carried into execution, will be a any time b < n he'd, enjoyed, and possessed 
manifest infraction of otir inherent rights, as by the people of Great Britain. 


manifest infraction of our inherent rights 
members of the British Government, and un¬ 


people < 

That by a darter granted by King 


speakably injurious in the present distressed Charles II >n the 15th year of his reign, it is 
and involved state of the Colony. declared and granted unto tin-governor and 

The Ministry, in justification of this en-company of this Colony, and their successors, 
croachment upon the incontestable rights of that all and every the subjects of his said Ma¬ 
lm Majesty's liege subjects in these parts of jesty. his heirs and successors, which were 
the world, have pretended that these Colonies then planted within the said Colony, or which 
are represented in Parliament by th- British should thereafter go to inhabit within the 
Members: the contrary is so evident, that said Colony. and ail and every of their chil- 
the bare denial of the position is sufficient to dren which had been born there, or which 
refute it. should afterw ards be born there, or on the sea 

The refusal of Parliament to hear the hum- going thither, or returning from thence, 
ble petitions of the Colonies against the should li ve and enjoy all the liberties and im- 
Stamp Vet. the enlargement of the Admiral-,munities of free and natural subjects within 
ty T Jurisdiction, and the Buvthening Trade.jany of the dominons of his said Majesty, his 
we look upon as a great grievance, and di- heirs or successors, to all intents, construe- 
recti y against our rights as subjects. |tions,nnd purposes whatsoever, as if they, and 

With the utmost concent and dread we every of them, were born within the realm 
consider the extension of the powers of the of England. 

Court of Admiralty; and must freely declare 3. I hat his Majesty’s liege people of this 
to the w hole world, that we look upon ourj Colony, have enjoyed the rierht of being gov- 
natural rights to be diminished in the same erned by their own Assembly , in the article 
proportion as the powers of that court are ex-of taxes and internal police; and that the 
tended; and in this particular we are unhap- same hath never been forfeited, or any other 
pily distinguished from our fellow subjects in way yielded up, but hath been constantly re- 
Bntain. cognized by the King and people of Bri* 

We then think it needful in this critical tain, 
conjuncture, to give unto you, who are our 4. That therefore his Majesty, or his sub- 
deputies, some instructions to be by you ob-jst tutes ; together with the General Assembly 
soed in your representation of us in tlie Gen jof this Colony, have in their representative 
eral Assembly. capacity, the only exclusive tight to lay taxes 

In the first place w e recommend it to you, and imposts upon the inhabitants of this Col¬ 
in the most express manner to use your" tit- ony • and that every attempt to vest such 
most endeavours, that commissioners be ap 
pointed by the assembly, to meet the commis¬ 
sioners from the other Colonies on the Conti¬ 


nent, at New-York, on the first day of October 
next, agreeable to the proposal and request 
of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, stgni 
fied to this Colony 7 , in order to unite m a pe¬ 
tition to the King, for relief from the Stamp 
Act, and other grievances. 

In the choice of these commissioners, we 
are assured from our knowledge of your vir- 


power in any person or persons whatever, 
other than the General Assembly aforesaid, 
is unconstitutional, and hath a manifest ten¬ 
dency to destroy British as well as American 
liberty. 

&. That his Majesty's liege people, the in¬ 
habitants of this Colouy, are not bound to 
yield obedience to any law or ordinance de¬ 
signed to impose any interna! taxation what¬ 
soever upon them, other than the law s and or¬ 
dinances of the General Assembly aforesaid. 







44 


Newport , R. /. Instructions , Sep*. 3, 17&5. 


And inasmuch asithath lately been drawn 
into question, how far the people of this Ins 
Majesty’s dominion of Rhode Island have 
the right of being tried by juries, we earnest¬ 
ly recommend it to you to procure an act to 
be passed, if it may be done, declaring that 
the courts of common law only, and not am 
court of admiralty, have, and ought to have, 
jurisdiction in all causes grow ing anil arising 
in this Colony, on account of levying or col¬ 
lecting any internal taxes, or of any matters 
relating thereto: and that such process and 
way of trial shall hereatter be had and used 
in such matters, as have been usual and ac¬ 
customed time out of mind. And further 
that no decree or court of admiralty, respec* 


confide in, as friends to British Liberty and 
especially to the Liberties and Privileges 
which this Colony has received by Charter. 

You are requested likewise to use the ut¬ 
most of your endeavours, that our essential 
rights and liberties he asserted in General 
Assembly by Votes or Resolves,particularly— 

1. That the Inhabitants of this Colony have 
as clear and full a Right to all the Liberties 
and Privileges of Englishmen, as if they had 
been born and abiding in the Realm of Eng¬ 
land, and consequently 

2. That levying Internal Taxes on the 
Inhabitants of this his Majesty’s Colony of 
Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, 
by the Parliament of Great Britain, w ithout 


ting these matters shall be executed in this the consent of the Legislature of the Colony, 
Colony. jor an actual Representation of the Colony in 

Wc think that an address of thanks oughtjthe supreme legislature of the Nation, is in 
to be voted, by the General Assembly, to I the highest degree unconstitutional: and 

those gentlemen who distinguished them- ** - 11 - --- 1 —-- 

selves at the last session of Parliament, in the 
defence of liberty and the colonies ; in par¬ 
ticular to Gen. Conway,and Col. Isaac Barre, 

As to the other matters not of such general 
concernment as the foregoing, vve leave thei! 
management to your prudence and judgment 
in which we put the greatest confidence. 

JAMES ANGEL, Town Clerk. 


Little Compton, Aug. 27,1765. 

At a Tow n Meeting of the Town of Little 
Compton, in the Colony of Rhode Inland, 
on the 27 th day of August, 1765. 

It is unanimously Voted and Resolved, 
that the following Instructions he given to 
the gentlemen who represent this Town in 
the General Assembly 

A S the present Crisis of affairs in America, 
is truly alarming, our Liberty, as free 
born Englishmen being greatly encroached 
upon by the Parliament of Great Britain, in 
burdening us with internal taxes without our 
knowledge or consent, or without so much 
as allowing us the least shadow of Represen¬ 
tation in that August Assembly, or ever suf¬ 
fering ow Petitions for redress of Grievances 

to be read before them:—The extension of General Assembly; and it is with pleasure 
the power of the Admiralty courts in Ameri-jwe reflect that your conduct hath justly ine- 
ca, by which that darling and dear-bought rited our approbation. 

privilege of being tried by juries, in casesj The trust reposed in you, at all times re- 


3. That all causes, growing and arising in 
this Cblony, on account of levying internal 
tuxes, cannot constitutionally,"or consistent 
with the Liberties of the Colonies, be tried by 
any other court, excepting the courts of com¬ 
mon law. 

And we put the greatest confidence in you, 
that in all other matters of less general con¬ 
cernment, you will act conformably to the 
happy Constitution of your country': That 
you w ill be steady assertors of American Li¬ 
berty, particularly of that of your ow n Colo¬ 
ny: And to sum up the whole, that you 
will act like Englishmen. 

JEPHTHAH PEARCE, Town Clerk. 

Newport, R. I. September 3, 1765. 
The Freemen of the town of Newport, at a 
Meeting held on the 3d inst. unanimouly 
voted. That the following Instructions 
should be given to the gentlemen who rep¬ 
resent them in the General Assembly, viz : 
To the Deputies of the town of Newport. 
Gentlemen. 

r [’HE Confidence we have in your integrity 
and ability , hath induced us repeatedly 
to make choice of you to represent us in the 



their consequences, or without asserting ou riant in the greatest danger of being subverted. 
Liberty as free-born Englishmen, in the the utmost wisdom, and the most unshaken 
most public manner we can. [fortitude are necessary to extricate us from 

We therefore earnestly recommend to you, our perplexed and embarrassed situation: 
Gentl men, who are the Deputies to represent 1 With hearts filled with loy alty and affection 
us in General Assembly, to use y our utmostjto his Majesty, and inviolably attached to 
endeavours, that, m a particular mariner, the Great Britain, the inhabitants of this Colony 
following essential things, at this critical cheerfully complied with every requisition 
conjuncture may take place. imade by the Crown during the late long and 

That whereas the neighbouring govern-‘bloody war; and exerted themselves in it 
merits have thought proper to appoint Com-jwith a spirit far exceeding their ability. They 
missioners to meet at New'-York, on the first were happy in receiving the approbation of 
day of October next, in order to unite in a his Majesty and the Parliament; and with 
petition to to the King, for relief from the great reason flattered themselves, that the 
Stamp-Act, and other Grievances; you are (same favours and indulgence, which had been 
requested by us to use your utmost ei.dca-always shown them by their mother country, 
vours, that such Commissioners from this,would have been continued to them: That 
Colony be appointed to join them as you canjtheir ruined commerce would revive: That, 




Rhode-Island Resolutions, Sept, 16, IT65. 4y 


being freed from the heavy expenses of the 
'J ar ’ they should find means in time to dis¬ 
charge the enormous debt accumulated by it: 
and that, together with the blessings of peac<, 
they should enjoy inviolate the inestimable 


this his Majesty's Colony and Dominion of 
Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, 
brought with them and transmitted to their 
posterity, and all other his Majesty’s subjects, 
since inhabiting in this Ins Majesty’s Colony, 


liberties and privileges which they received all the privileges and immunities that have 
from their ancestors, and wished to transmitiat any time been h< id, enjoyt d, and possessed 
to their latest posterity. b> the people of Great Britain. 

Instead of these parental favours, by some! 2. That by a Charter granted by King 
of the late acts of the British Parliament, the Charles the Second, in the 15th year of his 
channels of our commerce are obstructed—reign, the Colons afor said is declared enti- 
our property subjected to the arbitrary deci-;tled to ail the Privileges and Immunities of 
sions of the courts of admiralty—and an inter-j natural horn subjects, to all intents and pur- 
nal tax levied upon us without our consent. ;poses, as iftliey had been abiding and born 
Trials by juries, and the being taxed byj within the realm of England, 
none hut their own representat’ves. are the! 3. That his Majesty’s liege people of this 
inherent rights of the inhabitants of this Col-’Colony have enjoyed the right of being gov- 
ony: They have been confirmed by a Roy- erned In their own Assembly in the article of 
(il Charter: They were never contrsted. Taxes and Internal police; and that the same 
but have always been recognised by the King have never been forfeited, or any other way, 
and Parliament of Great Britain. yielded up, but have been constantly recog- 

Who then can see those glorious bulwarks nised by the King and people of Britain, 
of liberty, Trials by Juries* and the Right of\ 4. That, therefore, the General Assembly 
Taxation, shocked to their foundation, and of this Colony have, in their representative 


not feei for his country ? Who is there, 
that can feel, and suppress his concern P 

The inhabitants of the other Colonies af¬ 
fected with their present distresses, and ani¬ 
mated with the nohie spirit of liberty, have 


capacity, the only exclusive right to lay taxes, 
and imposts upon the inhabitants of this Col¬ 
ony: And that every attempt to vest such 
power in any Person or Persons whatever, 
other than the General Assembly aforesaid, 


proposed a meeting of Commissioners Promlis unconstitutional and hath a manifest ten- 


all the Colonies, to he held at New-York, to 
consult upon, and join in, such measures as 
shall bethought necessary for the removal of 
these grievances. 

Inspired with the same sentiments, w e ex¬ 
pect that you will give your utmost attention 
to those important objects, the Courts of Ad- 
miraity, and the Act for levying Stamp I)» 
tjes: that while you express the greatest affec¬ 
tion anil loyalty to our Sovereign, ami ail 
proper regard to that August Assembly, the 


deucy to destroy the Liberties of the people 
of this Cohmy, 

5. That his Majesty’s liege people the in¬ 
habitants of this Colony, are not bound to 
yie,<l obedience to any law or ordinance de¬ 
signed to impose any internal taxation wiim- 
soever upon them, other than the laws or 
ordinances of the General Assembly afore¬ 
said. 

6. That all the Officers in this Colony, ap¬ 
pointed by the authority thereof, be, and they 


British Parliament , you assert our Rights are hereby directed to proceed in the exeen 
with a becoming Firmness. jtion of their respective offices, in the same 

And that tliis Assembly 
and save harmless all the said 
account of their 

are or shall be appointed by the other Colo-Lie to this Resolution. 

nies, upon this most interesting occasion; -- 

and, in general, to join and co-operate with Pensylvania Resolutions 


wuii a Decoming r irmness. iuon oi uieir respe 

That you wilt use your utmost endeavours, {manner as usual: 
that the General Assembly of this Colony will indemnify air 
appoint Commissioners to meet those who {officers, on accoui 


conduct agreea- 


them in every reasonable and probable mea¬ 
sure for the preservation of our Liberties. 

It is for Liberty —That Liberty , for which 


In Assembly September 21, 1765. 
r T' , HE house taking into consideration, that 
*• an act of parliament has lately passed in 


our Fathers bled I—That Liberty, which is England, for imposing certain Stamp-duties 
dearer to a generous mind than iifi. itself, and other duties on his Majesty’s subjects in 
that we now'contend !—l he cause is vast and | America, whereby they conceive some of 
important; and if, the efforts of his Majesty’s their most essential and valuable rights, as 
loyal subjects in North America be but equal jBritish subjects, to be deeply affected, ihink 
to its importance, we have the highest reason it a duty they owe to themselves and their 
to think that notwithstanding the disregard posterity, to come to the follow ing resolu- 
shown to the separate remonstrances of the 
Colonies, their united endeavours will be 
crowned with success. 

WM. CODDINGTON, Town Clerk. 


Rhode Island Resolutions, Sept. 16, 1765. 
r PHIS Assembly taking into their most ser- 
-*■ ions Consideration, an act passed by the 
Parliament of Great Britain, at their last 
Sessions for levying Stamp duties, and oth¬ 
er internal duties in North America, do Re¬ 
solve, 


lions. 

1. That the assembly of this province have 
from time to time, whenever requisitions 
have’been made by his Majesty, for carrying 
on military operations for the defence of 
America, most cheerfully and liberally con¬ 
tributed their full proportion of men and 
money' for those services. 

2. That whenever his Majesty’s service 
shall for the future require the aids of the 
inhabitants of this province, and they shall 
be called upon for that purpose in a cvnstitu- 


), That the first Adventurers, Settlers of \tional way, it will be their iudispensible duty 














46 


Maryland Resolutions) Sept. 28, 1 76 


o. 


most cheerfully and liberally to grant to hi-. 
Majesty their proportion of men and money, 
for the defence, security and other public 
services of the British American Colonies. 

3. That the inhabitants of this province, 
are entitled to all the liberties, rights and 
privileges of his Majesty’s subjects in Great- 
Britain or elsewhere, and that the constitu¬ 
tion of government in this province is found¬ 
ed on the natural rights of mankind, and the 
noble principles of English liberty, and 
therefore is or ought to be perfectly free. 

4. That it is the inherent birtn-right, and 
indubitable privilege of every British subject, 
to be taxed only by his own consent, or that 


have been held, enjoyed and possessed, by 
the people of Great Britain. 

2. l'hat it was granted by Magna Charta, 
and other tin good laws and statutes of Eng¬ 
land, and confirmed by the petition and Bill 
of Rights, that thesubjeetshould not be com¬ 
pelled to contribute to any tax, tallage, aid, 
or other like charge, not set by common con¬ 
sent of parliamt nt. 

3. That by a royal charter, granted by his 
Majesty, King Charles 1. in the eighth year of 
his reign, and in the year of our Lord. 1632, 
to Cascilus, then Lord Baltimore, it was, for 
the encouragement of people to transport 

and families into this 


themselves and families into this province, 
of his legal representatives, in conjunctionlamongst other things covenanted and grant- 
with his Majesty or his substitutes. ed by Ins said Majesty, for himself, his heirs 

5. l'hat the only legal representatives of and successors, as foliowetli: 


the inhabitants ofthis province, are the per¬ 
sons they annually elect to serve as members 
of Assembly. 

6 . That the taxation of the people of this 
province by any other persons whatsoever, 


And we will also, and of our more special 
grace, for us,our heirs, and successors, we do 
strictly enjoin, constitute, ordain, and com¬ 
mand, I hat the said Province shall be of 
our allegiance, and that all and 
than such their representatives in assembly, subjects and liege people of us, our heirs, and 
is unconstitutional, and subversive of their successors, transported, or to be transported, 
most valuable rights. into the said Province, and the chi (Iren of 

7. That the laying taxes upon the inhabi-them and of such as shall descend from them, 
tants of this pro'iuee m any other manner, there already born, or hereafter to be born. 


being manifestly subversive of public liberty, 
must of necessary consequence be utterly 
destructive of public happiness. 

8. That the vesting an authority in th< held, reputed, and esteemed, as the liege 


be, and shall be denizens and lieges of us, our 
heirs, and successors, of our kingdoms of 
England and Ireland, and he in all things 


courts of admira'ty, to decide in suits relating faithful people of us, our heirs and successors, 
to th stamp-duties and other matters foreign born within our kingdom of England, and 
toth ir proper jurisdiction, is highly danger* likewise any lands, tenements, revenues, ser- 
ouo t.. ti.v libcii-ics of his Majesty’s American vices and other hereditaments whatsoever, 
subjects, contrary to Magna Charta, the great 1 within our kingdom of England, and other 
charter and fountain of English liberty, and our dominions, may inherit, or otherwise pur- 
destructive of one of their most darling and-chase, receive, take, have, hold, buy and pos- 
eckricnvleclgeri rights , thai of trials byjuri-s. ‘sess, and them may occupy and enjoy, gate, 
Q. That it is the opinion of this house,thatjsell. alien, and bequeath, as lihewiseall lib- 
the restraints imposed by several late acts of erties, franchises and privileges, of this our 
parliament on th* trade of this province, at a kingdom of Eng ami, freely, quietly, and 
time when the people labour under a enor- peaceably haveand possess,occupy and enjoy 
mous load of debt, must of necessity be at- as our liege people, born, or to lie born, " itii- 
tended with the most fatal consequences, not in our said kingdom of England, \\ ithout lett, 
only to this province, but to the trade of our j molestation, vexation, trouble or grievance, 
mother country. of us, our heirs, and successors; any statute, 

10. That this house think it their duty, thus act. ordinance, or provision, to the contrary' 
firmly to assert, with mod* sty and decency, [thereof notwithstanding. 

* And further our pleasure is, and by these 
presents for us, onr heirs and successors. We 


"till muut cl 11 vl UCIXHVJ i 

their inherent rights, that their posterity may 
learn and know, that it was not with their con¬ 
sent and acquiescence, that any taxes should 
be levied on them by any persons but their own 
representntioes. and are desirous that these 
their resolves should remain on their minutes, 
as a testimony of the Zealand ardent desire 
of the present house of assembly, to preserve 
their inestimable rights , which as English¬ 
men they have possessed ever since this pro¬ 
vince was settled , and to transmit them to 
their latest posterity. 

Maryland Resolutions, September 28, 1765 
By the Louver House of Assembly, 
■DISSOLVED unanimously, That the first 
-f*- adventurers and settlers of this province 
of Maryland brought with them, and trans¬ 
mitted to their posterity, and all other )v 
Majesty’s subjects since inhabiting in tb.- 
province, all the liberties, privileges, fra 
rimes, and immunities, that at. any time 


do covenant and grant to and with the said 
now lord Baltimore, his heirs and assigns, that 
we, our heirs and successors, shall at no time 
hereafter, set or make, or cause to be set, any 
imposition, custom, or other taxation, rate or 
contribution whatsoever, in or upon the dwel¬ 
lers and inhabitants of the aforesaid Province, 
for then- lands, tenements, goods or chattels, 
within the said Province, or in or upon any 
goods or merchandises, within the said Pro- 
ince,orto be aden or unladen within any the 
ports or harbours of the said Province: And 
uif pleasure is, and for us, our heirs, and 
successors, we charge and command, that 
this our declaration, shall he henceforwards, 
»’ om time to time, received and a lowed in 
• : our courts and oefore all the judges ef us, 
>ur heirs and successors, for a sufficient and 
. wfol discharge, payment and acquittance; 
Commanding a]! and singular our officers 







47 


Plymouth , Mass, instructions , Oc/. 21, 1765 


ami ministers of us, our heirs ami successors, 
and i iijoming the in, upon pain of our high d.s- 
pleasure, that they do not presume, at any 
time, toatn inptai y thing to the contrary of 
tile premises, or that the) do,in any sort with¬ 
stand the same; but the) be at all times aid¬ 
ing and assisting, as is tilting, unto the said 
now lord Baltimore, and Ins heiis and to the 
inhabitants and merchants of Maryland, 
aforesaid, their servants, ministers, factors, 
and ass.gns, in the full use and fruition of the 
benefit of this our charter ” 

4. That it is the unanimous opinion of this 
house, that the said charter is declaratory of 
the constitutional rights and privileges of the 
freemen of this province. 

5. That trials by juries is (he grand bul¬ 
wark of liberty, the undoubted birth-right of 
every Englishman, and consequently of 
ever) British subject in America : And that 
the ere cting other jurisdictions for the trial 
of matters of fact, is unconstitutional, and 
renders the subject insecure in hisiibei ty and 
propi rty. 

6. That it is the unanimous opinion of this 
house. That it cannot with am truth or pro* 
priety he said. That the freemen of this pro¬ 
vince of Maryland are represented in the 
British parliament. 

7. I hut his Majesty’s liege people of this 
ancient province, have ul\\a)s enjoyed the 
right of being governs d by laws, (o w Inch they 
themselves have consented in the article of 
taxes, and internal polity; and that the same 
hath never been forfeited, or any other way 
yielded up ; but hath been constantly recog¬ 
nised by the king and people of Great Bri¬ 
tain. 

8. That it is the unanimous opinion of this 
house, that the r. pri-sentat: ves of the fi eemen 
of this province, in their legislative capacity, 
together with the other part of the legislature, 
hath thesole right to lay taxes and impositions 
on the inhabitants of this province, or their 
property and effects: And that the laying, 
imposing, levying or collecting, any tax on 
or from the inhabitants of Maryland, under 
colour of any other authority, is unconstitu¬ 
tional, and a direct violation of the rights of 
the freemen of this province. 


PLYMOUTH, MASS., 21 Oct. 1776. 

At a Legal Meeting of the Freeholders and 
other inhabitants of the town of Plymouth , 
this 21 st day of October . 1765, James Wiir- 
ren. Esq. chosen Moderator—Unanimously 
agreed on the following Instructions , viz : 

To THOMAS FOSTER, Esq. 

S we have the highest esteem of the Bri¬ 
tish Constitution, which we think found¬ 
ed on the true principles of Liberty, and to 
deserve, on many accounts, the preference to 
any other now on Eaith, we can but reflect 
with pleasure onourown happiness, in being 
sharers in that Liberty, those ritrlits, and that 
security, which results from them to every 
subject, in the wide extended dominions of 
our most gracious Sovereign, who has not 
forfeited Ins right to them by disloyalty tothe 
King, want of attachment and a reasonable 
submission to the British Government, and 


love to his fellow subjec s there; these are so 
foreign to the true cha act rof 'lie People of 
this country, that caiunniy itsi If has never 
be«n able to fix it upon ilnm. We have 
evinced our loyalty to our King, ouraff. etion 
to the British Government and our Mother 
Country, on all occasions, by an uncommon 
readiness to assist in any measures with our 
Blood and Treasure, to extend their con¬ 
quests and to enlarge those dominions, from 
which they reap so many and great advanta¬ 
ges. At the same time that we reflect on our 
happiness in having a natural and constitu¬ 
te, nai right to all tl-.e privileges of our fellow 
subjects in Great Britain, we heboid with 
pain and horror, any attempts to deprive us 
of tin m, and cannot but look on such at¬ 
tempts as instances of the greatest unkind¬ 
ness and injustice. 

I his is the subject of our presented plamt, 
which not without reason echo fiom e.try 
mouth in every corner of this distressed anil 
injured country. Our youth, the flower of 
this country , are many of them slain, our 
treasure exhausted in the service of our Mo- 
her country, our trade, and all the numerous 
branches of business dependent on it, leduc- 
* d, and almost mint d, by sev ere acts of Pai- 
iianunt, and now we are threatened by a 
ate act of Parliament with beingloadi d with 
internal taxes, without our own consent, or 
(he voice of a single Representative in Par¬ 
liament. anti with being deprived of that 
darling privilege of an Englishman, trial by 
lus peers, the consequence of the unconstitu¬ 
tional extension of the power Oi Courts of 
Admiralty in America; these two are the 
mam pillars of the British Constitution, and 
the glory of every Freeman there, so that 
the depriving ns of tin m, create such a dis¬ 
tinction Letw en us and them ourfeilow sub¬ 
jects, as cannot be accounted for from 
any principles of justice and impartiality; 
land we certainly have never given occasion 
'for. 

We shall say nothing on this occasion of 
our inability to pay the many and great 
taxes laid upon us by the Stamp Act; of the 
many nt w dimes opent d by it, which cannot 
hut be committed by many People, how ever 
desirous they may be to avoid them ; of the 
prodigious pt naltiesanm xed to them; orofthe 
tn at hardship in subjecting the 1 rial of them 

10 the judgment of such a Court, and such a 
manner of conv ic tion, or of the many disad¬ 
vantages which must arise fiom these mea- 
tms io Great Britain herself. I lose are 

vio facts, and have already bet n hard td 

11 such a masterly and convincing manner, 
by some of the friends of belli this and the 
A?other Country , and of the British Constitu¬ 
tion. (for they cannot be sop rated.) as to un¬ 
der it unnecessary to enlarge on them. 

You, Sir, represent a pe. p t who are not 
only descended from the first settlers of this 
country, but inhabit the very spot they first 
possessed. Here was first laid the founda¬ 
tion of the British Empire, in this part of 
An,erica, which from a very small beginning, 
i ns increased and spread in a manner very 
surprising, and almost incredible; especially 
when we consider that all this has been ef- 






48 


Massachusetts Resolutions) Oct. 29, 17 03* 


fected without the aid or assistance of any 
power on earth, that we have Defended, Pro- 
tccted, andSfccwra^ourselves against the inva¬ 
sions and cruelty of savages, and the subthty 
and inhumanity of our inveterate and natur¬ 
al enemies the French; anti ll this, without 
the approbation of any tax by Stamps, or 
Stamp Acts laid upon our fellow subjects in 
any part of the King's Dominions, for defray¬ 
ing the expenses then of. 

This place, Sir, was at first the Asylum of 
Liberty, and we hope will ever be preserved 
sacred to it; though it was then no more than 
a forlorn wilderness, inhabited on y by savag< 
men and beasts. 1 o this place our Fathers, 
(whose memories bi revered,) possessed ot tin 
principles of Liberty in their purity, disdain¬ 
ing slavery, fled to enjoy those urivih ges 
which they had an umhmbteU right to, but 
were deprivt d of by the hands of violence 
and oppression in their native country 

We, Sir, their posterity, the Freeholders 
and other inhabitants of this Town, legally 
assembled for that purpose, possessed of the 
same sentiments and retaining the same ar¬ 
dour for Liberty, think it our indispensable 
duty on this occasion, to express to you, these 
our sentiments of the- Stamp Act, anil its fa¬ 
tal consequences to this country, and to en¬ 
join upon you, as you regard not on } the 
welfare, but the very b< iiig of this people, 
that you (consistent with our allegiance to 
the King, and relation to the Government of 


Massachusetts Resolutions , 29 Oct. 17(3 5, 

In the House oj Representatives. 
According to the order of the day, there be¬ 
ing a very full House, the following draft , 
which had been laid upon the Table, was 
particularly considered,and thereupon vot¬ 
ed 

\\ HEKEAS the just rights of bis Majesty's 
' ’ subjects of this province, derived to 
them from the British Constitution, as well 
as the ro al charter, have been lately drawn 
into question: In order to ascertain the same, 
this house do unanimously come into the fol¬ 
low ing resolves. 

1. That there are certain essential rights 
of the British constitution of government, 
which ar. founded in the Law of God and 
Nature, and are the common lights of man¬ 
kind then fore, 

2. That the inhabitants of this province 
are unalienably entitled to those essential 
rights in common with all men: and that no 
law of society can. consistent with the law of 
God and Nature, divest them of those rights. 

3 That noman can justly take tlu- proper¬ 
ty of another without his consent: and that 
up n this original principe the right of re- 
pn sunation in the san e body, which exer- 
eises the power of m king laws for levying 
taxes w hiedi is one of the main pillars o; the 
British Constitution, is evidently founded. 

4. That this inherent right, togi ther with 
all other essential rights, 1 berties, privileges, 


Gnat Britain.) disregarding all proposals fonand immunities of the people of Great!? ritain, 


that purpose, exert ad your pow er and influ¬ 
ence to oppost tin- execution of the Stamp 
Act, ai least until we hear the success of our 
Petitions fpt relit f. 

We, likewise, to avoid disgracing the me- 
morits of our Ancestors, as well as the re¬ 
proach* s of our own consciences, and the 
curses of posterity, recommend it to you to 
obtain, if possible, in tlu Honourable House 
of IT presentatives of this Province, a full a* d 
explicit assertion of our Rights, and to have 
tlu same * oter-d on their public Records, 
that .ill generations yet to come may be con¬ 
vinced that we have not only a just sense of 
our Rights and Liberties, but that we never 
(with submission to Divine Providence ) will 
b slaves to any power on earth; and as we 
have at ail times an abhom nee of tumults 
and disorders, we think ourselves happy, it 


ha vi been fully confirmed to them by Magna 
C/wrta.&\Ah y former and late acts of Parlia¬ 
ment. 

5. That his Majesty 's subjects tn Amt rica 
are, in reason and common sense, intitledto 
the same extent of liberty, with his Majesty’s 
ubjt cts in Britain. 

6. I hat by the declaration of the royal 
charter of this province, the inhabitants are 
entitled to all the rights, liberties and immu¬ 
nities of free and natural subjects of Great 
1 iitam, to a)i intents, purposes and construc- 
'“ons whatever. 

1 hat the inhabitants of this Province 
appear to be entitled to all the rights afore- 
m« ntiimed, by an act of Parliament, 13th of 
<- eo. II, 

K. 1 hat those rights do belontr to the inha¬ 
bitants of this Province, upon principles of 
'•ommon justice ; their ancestors * 
led this country at their sole expenee, and 
'■nil posterity having constantly approved 
themselves most loyal and faithful subjects of 
Great Britain. 

9. 


being at present under no apprehensions of common justice ; their ancestors having set- 

any, and in having good and wholeson^p laws 1 --—- - - - 

snfRcit nt to preserve the peace of the Pro¬ 
vince jn all future times, unless provoked by 
some imprudent measures: So we think it by 

ad\ iseab.e tor you to interest your-j 9. | hat every inditidttal in the Colonies is 
set u the Protection of Stamp Papers or as advantageous to Great Britain, as if he 
Stamp Officers. were in Great Britain, and held to pay lus 

ITie only thing we have further to recom¬ 
mend to you at this time, is, to observe on aU 
occasions a suitable frugality and economy in 
the public expenses; and that you consent 
to no unnecessary or unusual grant at this 
time of distress, when tlu people are groan- 
rag under the burthens of heavy taxes: And 
that vou use your endeavours to inonire into, 
and bear testimony against any past, and to 
prevt nt any future unconstitutional draughts 
on the Public Treasury. 


.. .. . -., .. pay ..... 

toll proportion of taxes there ; and as the in¬ 
habitants of this Province pay their full pro¬ 
per ion of taxes, fe.r the support of his Ma* 
.jests’s government here, it is unreasonable 
for them to be called upon to pay any part of 
•becharges of the gmc mment there. 

10. T hat the inhabitants of this Province 
are not. and never have been, represented in 
the Parliament of Grt at Britain : and that 
such a representation there, as the sulyects 
in Britain do actually and rightfully en- 






Cotint cti&ut Resolutions , October. 17G5. 


4 $ 


J'oy, is impracticable For the subjects in Ame- past; and more especially under the govern* 
iica : and further, that, in the opinion of meat of the illustrious house of Hanover.—■ 


, _. _ opinion 

this house, the several subordinate powers of 
legislation in America, were constituted upon 
the a prehensions of this impracticability. 

11. That the only method, whereby the 
Constitutional rights of the subjects of this 
Province can be secure, consistent with a su 
bordination to the supreme power of Great 
Britain; is by the continued exercise of such 
powers of government as an granted in the 
royal charter, and a firm adherence to the pri¬ 
vileges of the same. 

12. As a just conclusion from some of the 
foregoing resolves; That all acts made by any 
power whatever, other than the General As¬ 
sembly of this Province; imposing taxes on 


That Royal House have ever held sacred and 
inviolable those rights and privileges of their 
loyal subjects in this Colony, derived to them 
as aforesaid; in return for which thi Princes 
ot that t malted line have ever hail, from this 
People, tYveir ardent desires of ail happiness 
to their persons and giory to their Empire. 

Inspired with the warmest sentiments of 
affectionate loyalty and duty, the Colonists 
ever haye been ready to sacrifice their lives 
and fortunes to the service of their Kin, and 
Country; and believing that his Majesty’s 
interest in this Colony,cannot be more firm¬ 
ly established, and p< iff cfly secured, nor the 
happiness of the British nation more effectu- 


the inhabitants, are infringements of our in- a..y promoted by us, than in our full posses- 

herent and unalienable rights, as men and .. A -. J -- *'. : ~ u *- 

British subji cts, and render void the most va¬ 
luable declarations of our charter. 

13. That the extension of the powers of the 
Court of Admiralty w ithin this Province, is a 
most violent infraction ofthe right of trials by' 
juries.—A right, which this house, upon the 
principles of their British ancestors, ho d 


sion and continued enjoyment of the rights 
and privileges of .'he British Constitution, 
which we have hot forfeited, but ought to 
hold as Englishmen; and which are, if pos¬ 
sible, rendered more sacred and indefeasible 
by ih< royal Grant and Charter aforesaid, 
which we conet ive to stand upon the same 
basis with the Grand Charters and fountains 


most dear ami sacred; it being the only secu-jof i- nglish Liberty : And as the aforesaid act 
rity of the lives iberties nd properties of his-tends, as we conceive, to deprive us of the 
Majesty’s subjects here. jmost interesting, important, and essential of 


14. That this House owe the strictest alle 
giance to his most Sacred Majesty, King 
George-the I hird: that they have the great¬ 
est veneration for the Parliament; and that 
they will, after the example of all their pre¬ 
decessors. from tht Settlement of this country, 
exert themselves to their utmost, in support¬ 
ing Ins Majesty’s authority in th. province,— 
ill prorrotiug the true happiness of his sub¬ 
jects ; and in enlarging the extent of his do- 
minio . 

Or dered. That all the foregoing resolves be 
kept m the records of this House ; that a just 
se nse of liberty, and tin firm sentiments of 
loyalty, may be transmitted to posterity. 


those rights which we hold most dear, and 
cannot, on any possible consideration, be 
induced w illing y to part w ith; we are there¬ 
fore filled with the most sensible grief and 
concern; and think it a duty We ow e to his 
Majesty, to the nation, to ourselves, and to 
posterity. to express and decla. t the sense w e 
have respecting the rights and privileges 
which we may justly claim, and humbly hope 
to enjoy under his Majesty’s gracious protec¬ 
tion and Government; and do, therefore, de¬ 
clare and make it known in the tolh.wing 
Declarations and Resolves:— 

1.1 ii tin fi rst plac , v\ e do most expressly de¬ 
clare, recognize and acknow ledge his Majes¬ 
ty, King Geergi the 1 hird; to be lawful and 
rightful King of Great Britain, and all other 


Connecticut Resolution**, October, 1765. 

'T’HE Hobs, of Representatives of his Ma-jthe dominions and countries thereto bi 16ng- 
jesty’s Colony of Connecticut , in .Nlewjhig; and that it is the indispensable di.ty of 
England , in General Court Assembled, takmhe peopU of this Colony, (as being part of 
ing into their serious consideration, that an ibis Majesty ’s dominions,) alw ays to b< ar faith- 1 
act of the Parliament of Great Britain, has ful and true allegiance to Iris Majesty ; and 
b< •en lately passed, for granting and applying 
certain Stamp Duties, &c. in the British Co¬ 
lonies and Plantations in America, fiinl our¬ 
selves distressed w ith the most alarming ap- 

E iehensions, when We observe that Grand 
legislature to entertain sentiments so diftt r- 
ent from ours, respt etmg what w e ever reck 
oneri amongst our most important and essen 
tial rights as Englishmen. 

The Constitution of the British Govern¬ 
ment w e esteem tin happiest in tht world ; 
founded on maxims of consummate wis¬ 
dom, and in the best manner calculated to se¬ 
cure the prerogatives of the Crown, while it 
maintains the just rights and liberties of the 


him to defend to the utmost of their power, 
against all attempts against his person, crowd 
and dignity* 

2. I hat this Colony or the greatest part 
thereof w as purchased and obtained for gn at 
and valuable considerations, and some other 
part then of gained by conquest, with onftclf 
difficulty, and attheoniy endeavours,expan¬ 
ses, and chargi s of onr fore fathers; and that 
thereby considerable addition was made to 
his Majesty’s dominions and inter, sts. Arid 
that in consideration of such pure-hast * ike. 
as aforesaid, his Maje sty, King Charles 11, in 
the 14th year of his reign, did for himself, his 

( __ _heirs and successors ordain, declare and grant 

subject.—By virtue of w hich Constitution, unto the Governor and Company of this Col¬ 
and the Royal Grant and Charter of his Ma-jony. and their successois, that all and every 
esty King Charles the Second, the inhabi-jof the subjects of him, his heirs or successors^ 
rants of tiis Colony have enjoyed great and which should go to inhabit within the said 
Irtestimabe Liberties and privib gt sofa civil ;C<> om, and every of their children v- Inch 
find religious nature, for more than a century should be born there, or on the sea* in gomg v 

Vol. X. 5 








oO A 'ezr Jersey Resolutions , Aor. 30, 1735. 

thither, or returning from thence, should shad require the aid of the inhabitants of this 
have and enjoy ad liberties and iminuni-Colony, the same fixed principles of loyalty, 
ties of free and natural subjects within any of as well as self preservation, (which have hi til¬ 
ths dominions of the said King, his heirs or erto induced us fully to comply with his -\la- 
successors, to all intents, constructions, and jesty’s requisitions,) w ill, together w ith the 
purposes whatsoever, as if they, and every deep sense w'e have of iis being our iudispen- 
of them, were bom within the realm of Eu-jsable duty, (in the opinion of this House,) 
gland. (ever hold us under the strongest obligations 

3. That the free naturae subjects of Great which can be given or desift d, most cheerful- 
Britain, born within the realm of England, ly grant his Majesty (from time to time) our 
have a property in their own estates, and are forth • r proportion of men and mone), for 
to b<-taxed only by their own consent, given the defence, security, and other sen ices of 
in person, or by their representatives; and the British American domin ons. 

are not to ne dissiezed of their liberties or 11 That we took upon the weli-being and 
free customs, sentenced or condemned, burgreatest security of tins Colony to depend 
by awful judgment of their peers. And that (under God) on our connexion with Great 
the said rights and immunities were granted Britain, which we ardently wish waj con- 
to and conferred on the inhabitants of this tinue to the latest posterity. And that it is 
Colony by the Royal Grant and Charter the humble opinion of this House, that the 
aforesaid; and therefore are their rights, to Constitution of this Colony, being understood 
all intents and constructions and purposes and practised upon, as it lias been t v, r since 
whatever. it existed, is the surest band of union, confi- 

4. I hat the consent of the inhabitants of dence and mutual prosperity, of our Mother 

this Colony was not given to the said act ot Country and us; and the best foundation on 
Par lament personalty, or by representation, which to build the good of the hole, w lie- 
actual or virtual, in any sense or degree lhat ther considered in a civil, militar), or mer- 
at all comports with the true intendment, spi- cantile light. And of the truth of this opin- 
rit, or equitable construction of the British ion we are the more confident, as it is not 
Constitution, founded on speculation on y, but has been 

5. That bis Majesty’s liege subjects of this verified in fact; and by long experience 
Colony have enjoyed the right and privilege found to produce (according to our extent 
of being governed by their General Assem- and other circumstances) as many loyal, \ir- 
bly, in the article of taxing and Internal Po-tuous. industrious, and well-governed sub- 
lice, agreeable to the powers and privileges jects. as any part of his Majesty’s dominions; 
granted and cont ined in the Royal Charter and as truly z> alous, and as warmly engaged 
aforesaid, for more than a century past; and to promote the b st good, a d real glory, of 
that the same have never been forfeited, or the Grand Whole, which constitutes the Bri- 
any way yielded up, but have been con- tisli Empire. 

stuntly recognized by the King and Parlia-; - 

xnent of Great Britain. New Jersy Resolutions, November SO, 17 05 

6. That in the opinion of this House, an act \ \/' HERE S, the late act of Par lament, 

for raising money by duties or taxes, differs ' ' called the Stamp Act, is found to be ut« 
fmm other acts of legislation, in that it is al terly subversive of privileges inherent in, 
ways considered as a free gift of the People, and originally secured by gi ants and confirm- 
made ’ by their legal and elected represents- ations from the Crown of Great Britain to 
fives.—.'.nil that we cannot conceive that the the settlers of this Colony: In duty, thcie- 
peopie of Great Britain, or their representa-fore, to ourselves, our constituents, and pos- 
tives, have the right to dispose of our proper- ferity, this House think it absolutely neees- 
ty. sary to leave the following Resolves on our 

7. fhat the only legal representatives of minutes:— 

the inhabitants of this Colony, are the p r- l. That his Majesty’s subjects inhabiting 
sons they elect to serve as members ot the this province an , from the strongest motives 
General Assembly thereof. of duty, fidelity,, ami gratitude, inviolably 

8. That the vesting an authority in tin attached to his royai person and government. 
Courts of Admira tv. (as in the sifid act is pro- an ! have ever shown, and we doubt not ever 
vided,) to judge and deter nine in suits relat- will, tin ir utmost readiness and alacrity in, 
ing to duties and forfeitures contained in said according to the constitutional requisitions 
act, and other matters foreign to their accus- of the Crown, as they have been from time 
tomed and established jurisdiction, is, in the fotinjemadt to this Colony. 

opinion of this House, highly dangerous vo 2. That his Majesty’s liege subjects in this 
the liberties of his Majt sty’s uneriean sob- Colony, are,entitled to all the inherent rights 
jects, contrary to the great charter of English and liberties of his natural born subjects 
Liberty, anti destructive of one of their most w ithin the kingdom of Great Britain, 
darling rights—that of trial by juries; which 3. That it is inseparably essential to the 
is just iy estei tned one chief xeelh-nce of the Freedom of a fret- people, and the undoubted 
British Constitution', and principal bulwark rights of Englishmen, that no taxes be nn- 
of English liberty. posed on them but with their own consent, 

9. 1 hat it is the opinion of this House that given personally, or by their representatives, 

the sard act for granting and applying cn- 4 . I hat the people of this Colony arc not, 
tain Stamp Duties, £ c. as afoi said, is unpre- and from then remote situation cannot he, 
cedented and unconstitutiona represented in the Pa: ianient of Gnat Bri- 

10. That whenever his Majestj’s service,tain. And if the principle of taxing the 


South Carolina Resolutions , November 29, 17GG. 51 

Colonies without their consent should bejfollowing Resolutions,respecting their most 
adopted, tbepronle here would bt* subjected essential rights and liberties, and the griev- 
to the taxation ot two legislatures,a grievanc* ances under w hich they labour, by reason of 
unprecedt nted; and not to be thought of several late acts of Parliament:— 
without the greatest anxiety. 1. That his Majesty’s subjects in this pro- 

5. That the on y representatives of the vinct , owe thesame allegiance to the Crown 
people of this Colony are persons chosen by of Great Britain, that is due from his subjects 
themselves, and that no taxes ever have been, born there. 

or can be imposed on them, agreeable to the 2. That his Majesty’s liege subjects in this 
Constitution of this Province, gianted and Province, are entit ed to all the inherent 
confirmed by his Majesty’s most gracious rights and liberties of his natural born sul> 
predecessors, but by their own legislature. jects w ithin the kingdom ot Great Britain. 

6. t hat all supplies being free gifts, for the 3. t hat the inhabitants of this Province 
People of Gn at Britain to grant to his Majes- appear also to be confirmed m all the rights 
ty the property of the People of this Colon)', aforementioned, and not only by their char- 
w ithout their consent, and being represented ter, but by an act of Parliament of the 13th 
would be unreasonable, and render useless George II. 

legislation in this Colony, in the most essen- 4. t hat it is inseparably essential to the 
tial point. freedom of a People, and the undoubted right 

7. that the profits of trade arising from of Englishmen, that no taxes be imposed on 

this Colony, centering in Great Britain, even them, but with their ow n consent, given 
tual y contributes to the supplies granted personally, or by tlieir representatives, 
there to the Crown 5. That the People of this Province are not, 

8. That the giving unlimited powers to and from their local circumstances cannot be, 
any subject or subjects, to impose what taxes represented in the House of Commons of 
they please in the Colonies, under the mode Great Britain. And further, that, m the 
of regulating the prices of Stamped vellum, opinion of this house, the several powers of 
parchment and paper, appe ar to us uncon- legislation in America, were constituted, in 
stitutional, contrary o the rights of the sub-some measure, upon the apprehension of this 
ject, and apparently dangerous in its conse- impracticability . 

quenees. 6. That the only representatives of the Pto- 

9. That any incumbrance which in effect. p!e of this Province are. persons chosen therc- 
restrains the liberty of the press in America,in by themselves; and that no taxes ever have 
is an infringement upon the subject’s liberty, been, or can be, constitutionally imposed on 

10. That the extension of the powers of the them, but by the legislature of this Province, 
court of admiralty within this province, be- 7. That all supplies to the Crown, being 
youd its ancient limits, is a violent innovation free gifts of the Peop e, it is unreasonable, 
of the right of trials by jury; a right which and inconsistent with the principles anti 
this House, upon the principles of their Bri-.spirit of the British Constitution, for the Peo- 
tish ancestors, hold most dear and invaluable, jilt of Great Britain to grant to his Majesty 

11. That as the tranquillity of this Colonyi the property of the People of this Province, 
hath been interrupted, through fear of the! 8. That trial by jury, is the inherent 
dreadful consequences of the Stamp Act, and invaiuab e right of every British subject 
that therefore the officers of the government, in this Province. 

whogoon in their offices for the good anil 9. 'I hat the ate act of Parliament, intituled 
peace of the Province, in the accustomed “ An act for granting and applying cer tain 
manner, while things are in the ir present Stamp duties, and other duties, on the British, 
unsettled situation, will, in the opinion of this' Colonies and Plantations in America,” &c. 
House, he entitled to the countenance of the by imposing taxes on the inhabitants of this 
Legislature. And it is recommended to our Province; and the said act, and several other 
constituents, to use w hat endeavours lie in acts, by extending the jurisdiction of the 
their power, to preserve the peace, quiet, bar- court of admiralty beyond its aijcient limits; 
mony. and good order of the government; have a manifi st tendency to subvert the lights 
that no heats, disorders, or animosities, may and liberties ot the People of this Province, 
in the least obstruct the- united endeavours 10. That the duties imposed by several 
that are r.ow strongly engaged, for the repeal- late acts of Parliament, on the People of this 
ing the act above mentioned, and other acts Province w ill he extremely burteensome, and 
affecting the trade of the Colonies. grievous, and from the scarcity of gold and 

-- silver, the payment of them absolutely ini- 

South Carolina Resolutions , November 29, practicable. 

1765. 11. That as the profits of the trade of the 

In the Commons House of Assembly , the People of this Province ultimately center in 

29th day of November 1765. Great Britain, to pay for the manufactures 

HMIIS House, sincerely devoted, w ith the which they are obliged to take from thence, 

-* warmest sentiments of affection and duty they eventually contribute very largely to all 
to his Majesty’s person and government; in-the supplies granted there to the Crown: 
violably attached to the present happy estab- And, besides,as every individual in this Pro- 
lishment of 'he Protestant Succession; and! vince is as advantageous at least;to.Great Bri- 
with mindsrie ply impressed by a sense of thejtain, as if he were in Gnat Britain; and as 
present and impending ■'isfornmes on the they pay their full proportion of taxes for the 
People of this Province; esteem it their in- support of his Majesty’s government here, 
dispensable duty to their constituents, to!(which taxes are equal, or more, iu proportion 
themselves, and to posterity, to come to thelto our estates,from those paid by our fellow 




li) w 


New- York Resolutions. December 18, 176o. 


subjects in Great Britain upon theirs,) it is 
.unreasonable for them to be called upon, to 
pay any further part of the charges of the 
goverrnent there. 

12. i hat the Assemblies of this province 
have, from time to time, whenever requisi¬ 
tions have been made by his Majesty, tor 
carrying on Military operations, either foi 
the defence of themselves, or that of America 
in general, most cheerfully and liberally con¬ 
tributed their full proportion of men and 
money, for these services. 

13. That though the representatives of the 
People of this Province had equal assurances 
and reasons, with those of the otli r Provinces, 
to expect a proportional reimbursement, ofjthat the rights claimed by them are in no 
those immense charges they had been at for manner inconsistent w ith either : for which 
his Majesty’s service, in the late war. out of purpose they are come to the following reso- 
the several Parliamentary grants for the iutions, that is to say: 

use of America; yet they have obtained only 1. t hat the people of this colony owe the 
their proportion of the first of those grants ; same faith and allegiance to his majesty king 
and the small sum oftwo hundred and eighty-jGeorgr the Third, that are due to him from 


consideration several acts of parliament late ¬ 
ly assed. granting stamp and other duties to 
his majesty, and restricting the trade of this 
colony, apprehending an abolition of that 
constitution under which they have so long 
and happi'V enjoyed the rights and liberties 
of Englishmen, and b< ii.g clearly of opinion, 
that it is the interest ofGreat Biitain, a de¬ 
pendence on which theT esteem their felici¬ 
ty. to confirm them in the enjoyment of 
those rights ; think it tlieii indispensable du¬ 
ty to make a dee aration of their faith and 
allegiance to his majesty king George the 
Third, of their submission to the supreme It g- 
islati ve power; and at the same time to shew. 


five pounds sterling received since. 

14. That, notwithstanding, whenever his 
Majesty’s service shall, for the future, require 
the aids of the inhabitants of this Province, 
and they shall be called upon in a constitu¬ 
tional way, it shall be their indispensable 
duty, most cheerfully and liberally, to grant 
to his Majesty their pioportion, according 


his subjects in Great Britain. 

2. That they owe obedience to all acts of 
parliament n it inconsistent w ith the essential 
rights and liberties of Englishmen, and are in¬ 
tituled to the same rights and liberties, w hich 
his majesty’s English subjects, both within 
and without the realm, have ever enjoy ed. 

3. That his majesty’s subjects in England 


to their ability, of men and money, for theiare secured in the superior advantages (hey 
defence,security, and other public services,, enjoy, principally by the privilege of an ex- 
of the British American Colonies. (eruption from taxes not of their own grant, 

15. That the restrictions on the tradeof the and their right to trials by their peers.—Tire 


People of this Province, together with the 
late duties and taxes, imposed on them by acts 
of Parliament, must necessarily greatly lessen 
the consumption of British Manufactures 
amongst them. 

16. That the increase, prosperity, and hap 
piness of the People of this province, depend 
on the full and free enjoyment of their rights 
and liberties; and on an affectionate inter¬ 
course with Great Britain. 

17. That the readiness of the Colonies to 
comply with his Majesty’s requisitions, as 


first secures the people collectively from un¬ 
reasonable impositions; and, without the 
second, individuals are at the arbitrary dispo¬ 
sition of the executive powers. 

4. That the colonists did not forfeit these 
essential rights by their emigration ; because 
this was by the permission and encourage¬ 
ment of the crown ; and that they rather 
merit favour, that a deprivation of those 
rights, by giving an almost boundless extent 
to the British empire, expanding its trade, 
increasing its wealth, and augmenting that 


well as their inability to bear any additional pow er w hich renders it so formidable to ail 
taxes, beyond what is laid oil them by their, Europe. 

respective legislatures, is apparent, from the 5. 'That the acts of trade giving a right 
several grants of Parliament, to reimburse'of jurisdiction to the admiralty courts, in 
them part of the heavy expenses they were at prosecutions for penalties and forfeitures, 
in the late w ar in America. manifestly infringes the right of trials by 

18. That it is the right of the British sub-jury; and that the late act for granting stamp 

jects of this Province, to petition the King, or duties, not only exposes the American sub- 
either House of Parliament. jeets to an intolerable inconvenience and 

Ordered , That these Votes and Reso- expense,by compelling them to a defence at 
Iutions be printed and made public, that a great distance from home; but, by imposing 
a just sense of liberty, and the firm sentiments a tax, utterly deprives them of the essential 
of the loyalty of the representatives of the! right of being the sole disposers of their own 
People of this Province may be known to : property. 

their constituents, and transmitted to pos- 6. That all aids to the crown, in Great Bri- 
terity. 

By order of the House, 

PETER MAN1GAULT, Speaker. 

THOMAS FARR, Jun. Clerk. 

New Tork Resolutions, December 18, 1765. 

General Assembly of New Tork , 18th Decem¬ 
ber , 1765. 


tain, are gifts of the people by their represen¬ 
tatives in parliament, as appears from the 
preamble of every money-bill, in which the 
Commons are said to give and grant to his 
majesty. 

7. That it involves the greatest inconsisten¬ 
cy, with the known principles of the English 
constitution, to suppose, that the honourable - 
house of Commons of Great Britain, can 
r "PHE general assembly of the colony of w ithout divesting the mhabitantsof this eolo? 
New-York, taking into their most serious jiy of their most essential rights, grant to the 







Non-Importation Agreements. 


53 


crown their, or any part of their, estates for 
any purpose whatsoever. 

8. That from the first settlement of the col¬ 
onies, it has been the sense of the government 
at home, that such grants could not be con¬ 
stitutionally made ; and therefore applica¬ 
tions for the support of government, and oth¬ 
er public exigencies, have always been made 
to the representatives of the people of this col-, 
ony ; and frequently during the late war by 
immediate orders from the crown, upon 
which they exerted themselves with so much 
liberality, that the parliament thought proper 
to contribute to their reimbursement.* 

9. That if the people of this colony should 
be deprived of the sole right of taxing them¬ 
selves, or presenting such sums as the public 
exigencies require, they would be laid under 
the greatest disadvantages, as the united in¬ 
terest of the electors, or elected, which consti¬ 
tute the security of his majesty’s subjects in 
Great Britain, will operate strongly against 
them. 

10. That the impracticability of inducing 
the colonies to grant aids in an equal manner, 
proportioned to their several abilities, does by 
no means induce a necessity of divesting the 
colonies of their essential rights. 

11. ' hat it is the duty of every friend to 
Great Britain and this colony, to cultivate a 
hearty union between them. 

12. T.hat if tht honourable house of Com¬ 
mons insist on their power of taxing this colo¬ 
ny, and by that means deprive its inhabitants 
of what they have always looked upon as an 
undoubted right, though this power should be 
erted in the mildest manner, it will teach 
them to consider the people of Great Britain 
as vested with absolute power to dispose of 
all their property , and tend to weaken that 
affection for the mother-country, which this 
colony' ever had, and is extremely desirous 
of retaining. 

13. That in order to keep the colonies in 
due subjection to, and dependence upon 
Great Britain, is not necessary to deprive 


them of the right they have long enjoyed 
of taxing themselves; since the same right has 
been enjoyed by the clergy within the realm, 
and by all the subjects of Great Britain with¬ 
out the realm, until the late innovation. 

14. That the duties lately imposed by aft 
of parliament on the trade of this colony are 
very grievous and burthensome, and, in the 
apprehension ofthis house, impossible tube 
paid; have already greatly' diminished the 
advantageous traffick heretofore carried on 
with the foreign islands in the West Indies; 
and in consequence, must render us unable 
to purchase the manufactures of Great Bri¬ 
tain. 

NON-IMPORTATION ACTS. 

New York Non-Importation Resolutions , 31 
October., 1765. 

At a general meeting of the Merchants of 

New York, trading to Great Britain, they 

came to the following resolutions: 

1. That in all the orders they send ou to 
Great Britain, for goods and mt rchandise of 
any nature,kind, or quality whatsoever, they 
will direct their correspondents not to ship 
them, unless the Stamp Act be repealed. 

2. It is further unanimously agreed. That 
all orders already sent shall be countermand¬ 
ed by the first conveyance, unless upon the 
condition mentioned in the foregoing resolu¬ 
tion. [The orders countermanded in conse¬ 
quence of this Resolution, are said to amount 
to 700,000 pounds sterling. j+ 

3. It is further unanimously agreed, That 
no merchant will vend any goods or mer¬ 
chandise, sent upon Commission from Great 
Britain, that shall be shipped from thence 
after the first day of January next, unless 
upon the condition mentioned in the first re¬ 
solution. 

4. It is further unanimously agreed, That 
the foregoing resolutions shall be binding, un- 


* The following is a true copy of the Message which his Majesty sent down to the House 
of Commons every year, from 1759, till the conclusion of the war: 

GEORGE REX, 26 Die Aprilis, 1759. 

“ His Majesty being sensible of the zeal and vigour with w hich his faithful subjects in 
“ North America have exerted themselves in defence of his Majesty’s just rights and posses- 
“ sions, recommends it to this House to take the same into consideration, and to enable his 
“ Majesty to give them a propi r compensation, for the expenses incurred by the respective 
“ provinces, in the levying, clo'hing, and pay ofthe troops raised by the same, according as 
“ the active vigour and strenuous efforts of the respective provinces shall appear to merit. 

G. R. 

Upon which the House Resolved, April 30, “That a sum not exceeding two hundred 
“ thousand pounds be granted to his Majesty upon account, to enable his Majesty to give 
“a proper compensation, to the respective Provinces in North America, foi the expenses 
“ incurred by them, in the levying, clothing and pay of the troops raised by the same, ac¬ 
cording as the active vigour and strenuous efforts of the respective Provinces shall be 
“ thought by his Majesty to merit.” 

Similar resolutions followed yearly, every Message. And though this compensation did 
not exceed one fourth part of w hat they expended, they were satisfied with these most hon¬ 
ourable of all testimonies, that they had not been backward in contributing »heir share 
towards the general defence of the empire. Dr. Franklin's “ True State , &c." 

fNerv Yoilc , Nov. 25, 1765.—Notone o' the vessels that arriv< d here Iasi week from 
London or Bristol, were more than half loaded ; and by several letters brought by 
them, we learn that the workmen at tht different factories in England are more than 
half discharged, begin to be very troublesome, and say, that unless tin restr ints are 
taken off the trade of America, they will be inevitably ruined ; and that petitions werp 

5 * 







54 


Non-Importation Agreements, 

til the same are abrogated at a general meet- ; gulations. made in the several acts of the Par-' 
ing, hereafter to be held for that purpose. Iliamentof Great Britain, lately pass< d, to re- 
[Sigued by upwards of two hundred.] .gulate the Colonies which have limited ths 

- (exportation of some part of our country pro- 

In consequence of the foregoing resolutions, 1 duee, increased the cost and expense of many 
the Retailers of Goods in the City of New articles of our importation, and cutotf !rom 
Turk, subscribed a paper to the following ms all means of supplying ourselves with spe- 
purport: icie enough even to pay the duties imposed on 

We, the underwritten, Retailers of Goods, 1 us, much less to serve as a medium of our 
do hereby promise and oblige ourselves, not trade. 

to buy any goods wares, or merchandises, of That this Province is heavily in debt to 
any person or persons whatsoever, that shall;Great Britain for the manufactures, and other 
be shipped from Great Britain after the first importations, from thence, wnieh the pro¬ 
day of January next, unless the Stamp Act duceof our lands has been found unequal to 
shall be repealed. pay for, when a free exportation of it to tlie 

As witness our hands, &c. Oct. 31, 1765. best markets was allowed of, and such trades 

- (open as supplied us with cash, and other arti- 

Philadelphia , Nov. 7, 1765, icles of immediate remittance to Great Britain. 

Agreements and resolutions entered into, bu\ That the iate unconstitutional law, the 
the Merchants and Traders of Philadel- Stamp Act, if carried into execution in this 
phia, Nov. 7, 1765. IProvince, will further tend to prevent our 

The merchants and traders of the City of making those remittances to Great Britain, 
Philadelphia, taking into their consideration for paymentof old d< bts, ot purchase of more 
the melancholy state of the North American goods, which the feithsubsisting between the 
commerce in general, and the distressed situ-individuals trading with each other requires; 
ation of the Province of Pennsylvania in par- and therefore in justice to ourselves, to the 
ticular, do unanimously agree, i traders of Great Britain, who usually give us 

That the many difficulties they now labour!credit, and to the consumers of British man- 
under as a trading people, are owing to thejnfactures in this Province, the subscribers 
restrictions, prohibitions, and ill advised re-jhereto, have voluntarily and unanimously 

preparing in many different counties, to be laid before Parliament as soon as it meets; 
what follows being the copy of one drawn up by the Merchants of Manchester for that 
purpose. 

To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury. 

The Memorial of the several Merchants and Manufacturers of Manchester; Most 

Humbly Sheweth, 

THAT very great and extensive Manufactures have been established in the town and 
neighbourhood of Manchester; that the home consumption thereof is very small, 
in comparison of the export, trade which is carried on betwixt Great Britain and the 
West India Islands, arid the Co tinent of North America. 

That your Memorialists believe the demand of our Colonies does not exceed one 
moiety of the goods usually exported from Great Britain to them, but their surest and 
best market consists in the supply of foreigners, who have been accustomed to resort 
to Jamaica, and the other Plantations, in order to exchange their bullion for English 
Manufactures. 

It is w ith theutmosteoucern that your Memorialists find themselves obliged to repre¬ 
sent to your lordships, that the tradeol the said town and neighbourhood of Manchester, 
hath lately suffered a great and sudden diminution, and in return for iheirManufacturea 
exported last year, very scanty remittances have been made, most of the goods 
lying still on hand in Noith America and the Islands ; and thcextieme want of current 
cash having disabled their correspondents, though of the greatest property, and highest 
credit, to make their payments for the few goods that have been disposed of. 

In consequence of repeated advices from those correspondents, your Memorialists 
are reduced to the unhappy necessity of contracting their trade, and have bee n alrea¬ 
dy obliged to discharge great numb rs of their working people. 

Your Memorialists In g leave to suggest their belief and opinion,that the stagnation 
of trade is owing to the orders and commissions that they are into lined are given to 
the commanders of liis Majesty’s ships now stationed in the West Indies. [&-c p. 16. 
Note. - ] 1 ' 

In behalf therefore of themselves, and many thousands of poor people, whom they 
have the melancholy apprehension o < seeing reduced to the utmost penury, and dis¬ 
tress, they beg leave to lay before your lordships their present unhappy situation 
humbly imploring such relief as to youi lordships’ wisdom and goodness may seem 
proper. 

Philadelphia, Nov. 28, 1765.—'The Merchants- and Traders of this City have prepar¬ 
ed and signed a Memorial, addressed to the Merchants and Manufacturers ot Great 
Britain 1 , requesting tlnir interest wiib the Parliament, tor the re pea 1 of that most tin 
constitutional law, (the Stamp Act,) and for remov.ng the restrictions laid on ih© 
trade of the Colonies ; in which is very clearly and strongly represented the great loss 
it must be to the peop of England, as well us to the Colonists, in case the grievances 
complained of are noc speedily redressed* 


Sons of Liberty. 




come into the follow ing resolutions and agree- William Fisher, Joshua Fisher, Peter Ckeva- 
ments, in hones that their example will stim- Her, Benjamin Fuller ,and Abel Janies. 
nlat the good people of this Province to be [Signed by above four hundred traders.] 

frugal in their use and consumption of all! -- 

manufactures, excepting those of America ,^Agreement of the Retailers of the City of 
and lawful goods coming directly from 1 re- Philadelphia, Nov. 14, 1755 

land, manufactured there, whilst the ntcessi-j We, the Retailers of the City of Philadel- 
ties of our country are such as to require it; phia, at a general meeting, taking into con- 
arid in hopes that their brethren,the merchants sideration the melancholy slate «.f tin North 
and manufacturers of Great Britain, will American Commerce in general, and the dis- 
find their own interest so intimately connect- tressed situation of the Province of Pennsyl- 
ed with ours, that they will be spurn d on to vania in particular, occasioned by the late 
befriend us from that motive,if no other should |Unconstitutional law', (the Stamp Act,) if 
take place. jcarried into execution, do hereby voluntarily 

1. it is unanimously resolved and agreed, and unanimously promise and oh ige all and 

that in all orders any ofili-- subscribers to this each of us. upon our word of honour, not to 
paper may send to Great Britain for Goods,; buy any goods, wares, or merchandises, of 
they shall and will direct their correspon- any Vendue-Master, or either person or per- 
dents not to ship them until the Stamp Act sons whatsoever. that shall be shipped from 
is repealed. [Great Britain, after the first day of January 

2. That all those among the subscribers;next, unless that unconstitutional law, (the 
that have already sent orders to Great Bri-|Stamp Act,) shall be repealed; excepting- 
tain for goods, shall and will immediately such goods and merchandises as shall be r.p- 
countermand the same, until the stamp act proved and allowed of by the Committee of 
is repealed: except such merchants as arej Merchants nominated and appointed for that 
owners of vessels already gone, or now clear* purpose; and all iawtu: goods coming direct¬ 
ed out for Great Britain, who are at liberty iy from Ireland, manufactured there. 


to bring back in them, on their own account 
coals, casks of earthenware, grind-stones, 


The above to be binding on us till the first 
day of May next, at which time we purpose 


pipes, iron pots,empty bottles, and such otherianother general meeting to consider whether 
bulky articles as owners usually fill up their:the further continuance of ibis obligation be 
ships with, but no dry goods of any kind; ex- necessary. As witness our hands, &c. 
eept such kinds of dye-stuffs and utensils ne- The following gentlemen are appointed to 


cessary for carrying on manufactures, that 
may be ordered by any person. 

3. 'That none of the subscribers hereto 
shall or will vend any goods or merchandizes 
whatever that shall be shipped them on com¬ 
mission from Great Britain, after the first of 
January next, unless the Stamp Act be re¬ 
pealed. 

4. That these resolves and agreements shall 
be binding on all and each of us the subscrib 
ers. who do hereby, each and every persoi 
for himself, us on his word of honor agree, 
that he will strictiv and firralj adhere to and 
abide by every article, from this time until the 
first day of May next, w hen a meeting of the 
subscribers shall be called, to consider whe¬ 
ther a further continuance of this obligation 
be then necessary. 

5. It is agreed, that if goods of any kind tit 
arrive from Great Britain, at such time, or 
under such circumstances, as to render any 


wait on the Retailers of this City, to gi t the 
above Agreement generally subscribed to, 
viz. John Orde, Francis lFade Joseph 
Deane, David Dashler, George Bar tram, 
Andrew Doz, George Schlosser, James Hun¬ 
ter, Thomas Pascliall, Thomas West, and 
Valentine Charles. 

“SON'S OF LIBERTY.” 

Certain reciprocal and mutual agreements, 
concessions , and associations made, con¬ 
cluded and agreed upon, by and between 
the Sons of Liberty of the Colony of Sew 
York, of the one part and the Sons of Li¬ 
berty of the Colony of Connecticut, on 
the other part, this 2 5th day of December, 
in the sixth year of the reign of our sove 
reign lord, George III, by the grace of 
God, of Grea* Britain, Fiance, and Ire 
land, king, defender of the faith, in the: 
year of our Lord, 1765. 



hereto will unanimously take all piudtnt j ie ,. 11)03t j ustl ]i 0us unci inveterate 

measures to discoinitena p ,mutinies, to alienate the affections of his 

by mJt - SC’- 

consent. . i .hat o r«m vernment—Therefore to prevent as much 

Lastly, As it may re - amiointed to as * n us the dissolution of so inestima- 
m.ttee of the Subscribers b-*Pl>o.iit « to ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ of 

present a^nmnt generally subscribed, the '^mighty God, <h clare,, drat the y bear the 





56 


‘Sons of Liberty. 


anil are fully determined, to the utmost of 
their power, to maintain and support his 
crown and dignity, and the succession as 
by law established ; and with the greatest 
cheerfulness they submit to his government 
according to the known and just principles 
of the British Constitution, which they 
conceive to be founded on the eternal and 
immutable principles of justice and equi¬ 
ty, and that every attempt to violate or 


their power, by all just ways and means, 
endeavour to bring all such betrayers of 
their country to the most condign punish¬ 
ment—and further, they do mutually re¬ 
solve to defend the liberty of the press in 
their respective Colonies from all unlawful 
violations and impediments whatever, on 
account of the said act, as the only means 
(under divine Providence) of preserving 
heir lives, liberties and fortunes, and the 


wrest it,or any part of it,‘from them, un-same in regard to the judges, clerks, ai¬ 
der whatever pretence, colon’-, or autKori tornies, &c. that shall proceed w ithout any 
tv is an heinous sin against God, anil theiregard to the St (imp Act , from all pains, 
most daring contempt of the people, fro Defines, mulcts, penalties, or any molestation 
whom (under God) all just government Iwhatever—and finally, that they will, to 


the utmost of their powei, endeavour 


(under 

springs. , .. , 

From a sacred regard to all which, and bring about, accomplish and perfect the 
a just sense of the impending evils thatjlike association with all the Colonies on the 
inm-ht befal them in consequence of such a contineni, for the like salutary purposes, 


tanly, and of the it own freewill, a 
for the support of his Majesty’s just 


dreadful dissolution, they do hereby.volum. 

as weil 
prero¬ 
gative and the British Constitution, as 
their own mutual security and preserva¬ 
tion, agree and concede to associate, ad¬ 
vise, protect and-defend each other in the 
peaceable, full, and just enjoyment f th; ir 
inherent and accustomed rights as British 
subjects of their respective Colonies, not 
in the least desiring any alteration or inno¬ 
vation in the •rand bulwark of their liber¬ 
ties and the wisdom of ages, but only to 
preserve it inviolate from the corrupt hands 
of its implacable enemies. 

And whereas a certain pamphlet has ap¬ 
peared in America, in the form of an act 
of Parliament, called and known by the 
name of the Stamp Act, but has never been 
legally published or introduced, neither 
can it, as it would immediately deprive 
them of the mos» invaluable part of the 
British Constitution, viz. the trial by ju¬ 
ries, a nd t he must just mode of taxation in 
the world, that is, of taxing themselves; 


-land no other. 


At a Meeting of a considerable number of in¬ 
habitants of the town and county of Nor¬ 
folk , and others, Sons of Liberty, at the 
Court House of said County, in the Colony 
of Virginia, on Monday, the 31.s£ of 
March, 1766. 

j ! AVING taken into consideration the 
*-1 evil tendency of that oppressive and 
unconstitutional act, commonly called the 
Siam > Act. and being desirous that our 
sentiments should be known to posterity, 
and recollecting that we are a part of that 
Colony who first, in General Assembly, 
openly expressed their detestation to the 
said act, which is so pregnant with ruin, 
and productive of the most pernicious con- 
stque< ees; and unwilling to rivet the 
shackles of slavery and oppression on our- 
s-ives and millions yet unborn, have unan¬ 
imously come to the following Resolutions: 

1. That vvg acknowledge his prose t Ma¬ 
jesty, King George III. to be our right¬ 
ful and lawful King, and that we will at 
rights that every British subject becomes all times, to the utmost of our power anil 

ability support and defend his most sacred 


heir to as soon as born. For the preserva 
lion of which, and every part of the Bn 
tish Constitution, they do reciprocally re¬ 
solve a ;d determine to march with the ut¬ 
most dispatch, at their own proper costs 
and expence, on the first proper notice 
(which must be signified to them by at 
least six of the Sons of Liberty) with their 
whole force, if required, and it can be spar¬ 
ed, to the relief of those that shall, are, or 
may be in danger from the Stamp Act, or 
its promoters and abettors, or any thing i l ¬ 
lative i it, on account of any thing that 
may have been done in opposition to ns ob¬ 
taining—and they do mutually and most 
fervently recommend it to each other to be 
vigilant in watching ail those who, from 
the nature of their ofiict s, vocations or 
dispositions, may be the most likely to 
int educe the use of stamped papers, to 
tin total subversion of the British Consti¬ 
tution and American liberty; and the 
when discovered, immediately to ad 


person, crown, and dignity ; and will be 
always ready, when constitutionally called 
upon, to assist his Majestv with our lives 
anil fortunes, aed defend all his just rights 
an 1 prerogatives. 

2. That we w ill by all lawful ways and 
means, which Divine Providence hath put 
into our hands, defend ourselves in the full 
enjoyment of, and preserve inviolate to 
posterity, those inestimable privileges of 
ail free-born British subjects, of being tax¬ 
ed by none but representatives of their own 
choosing, and of being tried only by a jury 
of their own peers ; for if we quietly sub¬ 
mit to the execution of the said StampAct, 
all our claims to civil liberty will he lost,and 
we a. d our posterity become absolute 
slaves. 

3. That we will, on any- future occasion, 
sacr.fice our lives and fortunes, in concur¬ 
rence with the other Sons of Liberty i. t the 
American Provinces, to defend and pre¬ 
transmit- 


same, 

vise each other of, iet tie in be of \\ hat rank;serve those invaluable blessings 
or condition soever, anil they do agree that ted us by our ancestors 
they will mutually, and to the utmost of[ 4. That whoever is concerned, directly 






Congress 

indirectly, in using, or causing to be 
useci ? in any way or manner whatever, 
within this Colony, u less authorized by 
the General Assembly thereof, those detes¬ 
table papers called the Stamps, shall be 
deemed, to all intents and purposes, an en 
< Hiy to his country, and by the Sons of Li¬ 
berty treated accordingly. 

5. That a Committee be appointed to 
present the thanks ot the Sons of Liberty 
to Col. Richard Bland, for his Treatise, 
entitled “An Inquiry into the Rights of 
the British Colonists.” 

6 That a Committee be appointed, who 
shall make public the above Resolutions, 
and correspond, as they shall ee occasion, 
with the associated Sons and Friends of Li 
berty, in the other British Colonies in 
America. 

[Sim ilar Associations of the Sons of Lib 
$rty were formed in almost all the Colonies. ] 

DAUGHTERS OF LIBERTY. 

Providence , R. /. March 12, 1766.—On 
the 4th inst. Eighteen Daughters of Liber¬ 
ty, young ladies of good reputation, met at 



the House of Doctor Ephraim Bowen, in 
this town, in consequence of an invitation 
of that gentleman, who hath discovered a 
laudable zeal for introducing home man¬ 
ufactures. There they exhibited a fine ex¬ 
ample of industry, by spinning from sun¬ 
rise until dark, and displaying a spirit for 
saving their sinking country rarely to be 
found among persons of more age and ex¬ 
perience. The Doctor provided an elegant¬ 
ly plain dinner, ami other refreshments for 
the fair company; but they expended but 
very little time, and cheerfully agreed to 
omit Tea, to render their conduct consis¬ 
tent. 

Besides this instance of their patriotism, 
be I w re tliey separated, they unanimously 
Resolved that (he Stamp Act was uncon¬ 
stitutional—That they would purchase no 
more Brit ish-Manufaotures unless it be re¬ 
pealed—And that they would not even ad¬ 
mit 'headdresses of any gentleman, should 
they haye opportunity, v itiiout they were 
determined to oppost its execution, to the 
last extremity, if occasion required. 


VI. Proceedings of the First American Congress, held at JYew York., 

in October , l?6j. 

In consequence of the Circular of the Housei Resolved, new. con. That Mr. John Cotton, 
of Representatives of Massachusetts Bay,]be clerk to this Congress during the continu- 
(Seepage42.) the following gentlemen mefance thereof. 

at New-York, in the Province of New-York, The Congress then took into consideration 
on Monday the seventh day of October, the appointments of the Committees from 
1765. jNew-York, New-Jersey, and the government 

Prom the Province of Massachusetts Bay, iof the lower counties on the Delaware—and 
James Otis, Oliver Partridge, Timothy Rug- Resolved, nem. con. That the same are suf- 
gles, Esq in. ficient to qualify the gentlemen therein 

From the colony of Rhode-Island, and Pro- named, to sit in this Congress. 
vidcnce plantations, Metcalfe Bowler, Henry Resolved , also, That the committee of each 
Ward, Esqrs. ' coiony, shall have one voice only, m determin- 

From the colony of Connecticut, Eiiphalet ing any questions that shall arise in the Con- 
Dyer, David Rowland, Wm. Samuel Johnson!gress. 

Esqrs. j The Congress then adjourned until to-tnor- 

From the colony of New-York, Robert Rjrow morning at nine o’clock 
Livingston, John Cruger, Philip Livingston, 1 
Wihiam Bayard,Leonard Lispenard, Esqrs,! 

From the colony of Neiv-Jerscy, Robert Tuesday, Oct. 8,1765, A. M. The Congress 
Ogden, Hendrick fisher, Joseph Borden,;met aecordinglo adjournment. 

Esqrs. j Upon motion, voted that Mr, Justice Liv- 

From the Province of Pennsylvania, John ingston. Mr. M‘Kean, and Mr. Rutledge be a 
Dickinson, John Morton, George Bryan, committee to inspect the proceedings and 
Esqrs. minutes and correct the same. 

From the government of the counties of Then the Congress took into consideration 
Nexocastle. Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, the Rights and Privileges of the British A mer- 
Ctesar Rodney, 1 horn as M*Kean, Esqrs. ican Colonies, with the several inconvt nien- 
From the Province of Maryland, William ces and hardships to which they an and must 
Mmdok, Edward Tilghman, ihomas Ring- be subjected by the operation of the several 
gold, Esqrs. date acts of Parliament, particularly the act 

From the Province, of South-Carolina, called the Stamp Act; and after some tune 
Thomas Lynch, Christopher Gadsden, John spent therein, the same was postponed for 
Rutledge, Esqrs. (furtherconsideration. 

1 hen the said committees proceeded to Then the Congress adjourned until to-mov- 
clioose a Chairman by ballot; and Timothy row morning, at nine o’clock. 

Ruggles, Esq. on sorting and counting the [ 1 he Congress adjourned from day to day, 
votes, appeared to have a majority—and from the fth to tin 19th having each day, the 
thereupon was placed in the Chair. 'samesubjects under consideration.J 





58 


Congress of 17G5. 


Saturday, Oct. 19, 1765, A. M. The Con-j invaluable right of every British subject m 
gress met according to adjournient, and re-jthese colonies. _ 

sinned, fcc.as yesterday; and upon mature! 8. That the late act of parliament, entitled, 
deliberation.* agreed tojthe following Decla-, An act for granting and applying certain 
ration of the rights and grievances of the stamp duties, and other duties, in the British 

oldnists in America , which were ordered to colonics and plantations in America, fc. by 
be inserted. imposing taxes on the inhabitants ot these 

f l^HE members of this Congress, sincerely colonies, and the said acts,and several other 
-*■ devoted, with the warmest sentiments of acts, by extending the jurisdiction of the 
affeetionand duty to his Majesty’s person and courts of admiralty beyond its ancient limits 
government, inviolably attached to the pre- have a manifest tendency to subvert the rights 
sent happy establishment of the Protestant and liberties of the colonists, 
succession,and with minds deeply impressed 1 9. That the duties imposed by several iate 
by a sense of the present and impending mis- acts of parliament, from the peculiar circum* 
fortunes of the British colonies on this conti stances of these colonies, will be extremely 
neat; having considered as maturely as time burthensome and grievous; and from ihe 
wil. p. rmit,the circumstances ofthe said eoio- scarcity ofsp- ci- , the payment of them abso¬ 
lves, esteem if our indispensable duty to make lately impracticable. 

the following declarations of our humble 10. f 'liat as the profits of the trade of these 
opinion, respecting the most essential rights colonies ultimately center in Great-Britain, 
and liberties ef the colonists, and of the gric- to pay for the manufactures which they are 
vances under which they labour, by reason of obliged to take from thence, they eventually 
several late acts of parliament. ;contribute very largely to all supplies granted 

1. That his Majesty’s subjects in these colo- there to the crown. 

nies, owe the same allegiance to the crown of 11. That the restrictions imposed by several 
Great Britain, that is owi. gfrom his subjects ate acts of parliament on the trade of these 
born within the realm, and all duesubordina-.colonies will render them unable to purchase 
tion to that August body the parliament of; the manufactures of Gieat-Britain. 
Great-Britain. | 12. That the increase, prosperity and hap* 

2. That his Majesty’s liege subjects in these'piness of these colonies, depend on the full 
colonies, are entitled to all the inherent rights and free enjoyments of their rights and liber- 
and liberties of his natural born subjects,Ities, and an intercourse with Great-Britain 
within the Kingdom of Great-Britain. (mutually affectionat< and advantageous. 

3. hat ir is inseparably essentia) to the 13. That it is the right of the British sub- 
freedom ofa people, and the Undoubted right jects in these colonies to petition the King,or 


of Englishmen, tha. no taxes be imposed on 
them but with their own consent, given per¬ 
sonally, or by their representatives. 

4. That the people of these colonies are not 
and, from their local circumstances, cannot 
be, represented in the House of Commons in 
Great-Britain. 

5. That the only representatives of the peo¬ 
ple of these colonies are persons chosen there¬ 
in by themselves,and that no taxes ever have 
been, or can be constitutionally imposed on 
them, but by their respective legislatures. 

6. That all supplies to ihe crown being 
free gifts of the people, itis unreasonable and 
inconsistent with the principles and spirit of 
the British constitution, for the people of 
Great-Britain to grant to his Majesty the pro¬ 
perty of the colonists. 

7. That trial by jury, is the inherent and 


either house of parliament. 

Lastly, 1 hat it is the indispensableduty of 
these colonies, to the best of sovereigns, to the 
mother country, and to themselves, to en¬ 
deavour by a loyal and dutiful address to his 
Majesty', and humble applications to both 
houses of parliament, to procure the repeal 
of the act for granting and applying certain 
stamp duties, of all clauses of any other acts 
of parliament, whereby the jurisdiction of the 
admiralty is extended as aforesaid, and of the 
other iate acts for the restriction of American 
commerce. 

Upon motion, voted. That Robert R. Liv¬ 
ingston, William Samuel Johnson, and Wil¬ 
liam Murdock, Esqb. be a committee to pre¬ 
pare an address to his Majesty, and lay the 
same before ihe congress on Monday nt xt. 
voted also, 1 hat John Rutledge , Edward 


* Extract of a letter from Cesar Rodney,to his brother Thomas Rodney, dated New- I'ork, 
Ort. 20,1765. “ When I wrote to you last, I expected that Congress would have ended in 
eight or ten days from that time; hut, contrary to expectation, we have not yet finished. 
You and many others are surprised, perhaps, to think we should sit s> ion’g, when the 
business of our meeting seemed only to In the petitioning the King, and rein listrating to 
both Houses of Parliament; but, when you consider that weare petitioning and addressing 
that august body,tile great legis atureof ihe einpirt, far redress of grievance s—that in order 
to point mil those grievances, if was likewise necessary to set forth the libei ty we have ami 
ought to enjoy (as freeborn Englishmen) according to the British constitution, t his we 
are about to do by way of Declaration, in the nature of resolves, as a foundation to the Pe¬ 
tition and Address; and was one of the most difficult tasks I ever yet saw ui.d rtaken, as 
xve had carefully to avoid any infringement ofthe prerogative of the crown and the power 
of Parliament—and yet in duty bound fully to assert the rights and privileges of tin Colo¬ 
nists. However, after arguing and debating two weeks,on liberty, privileges, prerogative, 
fee. in an assembly ofgreai abilities, we happily finished them and now have the Petition 
and Addresses before us, and expect to finish in three or four days,” 



59 


Qvvgress of 170. 


tilghmnn, ami Philip Livingston, Esqrs. belrights and liberties essential to freedom, emi 
a committee toprepares memorial and pcti-1 grated from their native country to this conti 

nent, and bv their successful perseverance 


_id peti 

tmn m the lords in parliament, and lay the 
same b« t ore the Congress on Monday next. 

Voted aiso That Thomas Lynch , James 
Otis, and Thomas M'Kean , Esq.s. be a com¬ 
mittee to prepare a petition to the- house of 
commons of Great-Britain, and tay the same 
before the Congress on Monday next. 

Then the congrtss adjourned to Monday 
next at twelve o'clock* 

Monday Oct. 21,1765., A. M. The congress 
nu t according to adjoummt nt. 

The.committce appointed to prepare and 
bring in an Address to his Majesty (lid re- 
p< ft that they had essayed a draught for that 
purpose, which they laid on the table, and 
numbly submitted to the correction of tin 
Congress. 

i he said Address was read, and after sun¬ 
dry amendments, the same was approved of 
by the congress, and ordered to be ingrosstd. 

1 he committee appointed to prepare and 
bring in a Memorial and Petition to tne lords 
in parliament , did report, 1 hat the y Jr d os- 
sayed a draught for that purpose, which tin y 
laid on the table, and humbly submitted to: 
tin correction of the congress. 

! he said Address was read, and after stm- 


tt* 
in 

the midst of irmumt rabie dangers and diffi¬ 
culties, togetht r with a profusion oi their 
blood and treasure, have happily added these 
vast and valuable dominions to the empm of 
Great- Britain. That for the enjoyment of 
these lights, ml liberties, several gov- iiiuk nts 
were early formed in tin said colonies, with 
ful; power of kgisiati n, agr< eatnc to the 
prineipits of the English constitution 

I hat under those governments, tins, liber¬ 
ties thus vested in their a net stors, and trans- 
mitti d to their posterity, have been exercised 
and enjoyed, and by the inestimable blessings 
thereof (multi the favour of Almighty God) 
the inhospitable desaits of America have been 
converted into flourishingcountiits; science, 
humanity,and die know It dg. of divine truths 
diffused through remote l e gions of ignorance 
infidelity and barbarism; the number of .Bri¬ 
tish subjt cts wonderfully increased, and the 
ueath and power of Great-Britain piopor- 
tionably augioented. 

That by means of these se ttlements, and 
the unpataheiJed success of your Majesty’s 
arms, a foundation is now laid for rendering 
the British empire the most i xtensive ami 
powerful of any recorded in history. Our 


dry amendments, the same was approved of]connexion with this empire, we esteem our 
by’the congress, and ordered to beingrossi d. Jgreatest happiness and security, and humb y 
t h committee appointed to prepare ami conceive it may now be so established by your 
bring m a Petition*to the house of commons royal wisdom, as toendur- to the latest r d 


of Great-Britain, did report, That they had 
css iy: ;1 a d. aught for that jurposr, w Inch (hey 
laid oil t!u table, and humbly submitted to 
the correction of the congress 


of time; this, with most humble submission to 
your Majesty, we apprehend w in be most 
effi ctua ly accomplished, by fi ing the pil* 
,ars thereof on libt it. and justice, ami s« cur- 


I he said Address was read, and aftei sun-jin# the inherent rights and liberties « f your 
dry ameiuliiit ms, the same was approved of subjects hen , upon the m ieeiples ofilie En- 


by the congress and ordered to be ingross, d 

Then the congrt ss adjourned to to-morrow 
morning, nine o’clock. 

Tuesday. Oct. 22,1765, A. M. The congrtss 
met according to adjournment. 

The Address to his Majesty b. ing digressed 
was r: ad and compared, and is as follows, viz. 

To the Kings most excellent Majesty. 

The Petition of the freeholders and other 
in iamtants of th. Massachusetts-bay, Rhode 
Island,and Providence plantations, 


glish constitution. To this constitution these 
two principks are essential, the right of your 
faithful snhj cts.freely to gram to your Ma- 
j. sty. such aids as are required for the support 
of vour gov* nunent over them amloth. i pub¬ 
lic exige licit s, and trials by their peers: by 
tli,- one tin y are secured from unreasonable 
impositions; and by the other from arbitrary 
decisions of theexteutive power. 

Th» contimialion of these liberties to tht 
inhabitants of America, we ardently implore, 
as absolutely necessary, to unite the several 


, New-Jersey, P> nnsylvania, theiparis of your wide extended dominions, in 
government of the counties of Newcasth . that harmony so essential to the preservation 


Kent, and Sussex, upon Delaware, province and happiness of the whole. Protected 
of Maryland. ] these liberties, the emoluments Great Brita 


m 

a in 


Most humbly sheweth 
[’HAT tlu inhabitants of these colonies, 


receive s from us, how ever great at present, 
are inconsiderable, compan cl w ith those she 

of acquiring. Bv 


T- unanimously devoted with the warmest has the fairest prospect 
sentiments of duty and aff cti.m to your Ma- tins protection, she will forever secure toiler 
jesty’s sac reel person and government, invio- self the advantage of conveying to all Eu 
jabiv attached to the present happy establish- rope, tht imicliandizes which Amer ica fur- 
ment of tlie nrotestant succession in y"ur ii- nishes, ami of supplying through the same 


ment of tlie p 
lnstrious house 


sensible of your ichannel. whatsoever is wanted from thence. 

»i- Here opens a boundless source of wealth and 
naval strength. Yet these immense advan- 


__ 7 and ilee]>iy 

royal attention to their prosperity and happi¬ 
ness, humb y beg leave to approach the „ .. 

throne, hy representing to i our Majesty, that tages, by the abridgement of those ima.ua- 
these coin ics were originally planted bj sub- bte rights and -.bellies, by which our growth 

■ "d has hern nourished, are in danger of * -- 


jec*s of tin British- crow n, wh«, animate 
with die si.ii it oflibr rty.encc aunged by your fo 


vei lost, and our subordinate 
emit r< d useless by the 


br mg 
legislatures 
acts of 


Majesty’s royal predecessors, and confiding in in effect remit r. d useless by the .aft acts of 
die public faith, for the enjoyment of all the parliament imposing duties and taxes on these 









(Bo 


Congress of 1765 . 


colonics, anil extending the jurisdiction of Hendrick Fishery, Joseph Borden, Qonmuiic fr 
the courts of admiralty here, beyond its an- from the Pi-mime of ,\ e\v-Jersey, 
oient limits; statutes, by which your majesty’s George Bryan , John Mut ton, Committee 
commons in Britain undertake absolutily to from the Pi ovine of Pennsylvania, 
disposeof the property of theirfeliow subjects Thomas M Kean, Caesar Rodney, Commit- 
in Am, rica without their conselu, bndfurthe tee from the government of thi Counties of 
enforcing whereof, they are subjected to the. New Castie, Kent and Suss, x, upon Deia- 
determination of a single judge, in a court 1 ware 

unrestraint d by the wise rules of the common William Murdock , Edward Tilghman, Tho - 
law, the birthright of Englishmen, and the mas Ringgold, Committee from the House 
safeguard of their persons and properties. of K, prestntativesof the Piovmee ofMary- 
The invaluable rights of taxing ourselves 1 J “ 
and trial by our peers, of w hich we implore 
your majesty's protection, are not, we most 


land." 

the memorial to the lords in parliament 


humbly conceive, unconstitutional, but coo-being engrossed, was read an compared, and 
firmed by the great chart, r of English libel-is as follows, vizi 

ties On the first of these rights the honour- To the right honourable the lords spiritual 
able the house of commons found their prac- and temporal of Great Britain , in partia - 


tice of originating mon y bills; a right enjoy¬ 
ed by the kingdom of Ireland, by tile ck t gy 
of England, until relinquished by them¬ 
selves; aright, in fine, whien all other your 
majesty’s Et gli-h subjects, both within and 
without the realm, have hitherto t joy ed. 

With hearts, then for , impressed with the 
most indelible characters of gratitude to your 
majesty, and to the memory of the kings of 
your illustrious house, whose reigns have been 
signally distinguished by their auspicious 
influence on the prosperity of the British do¬ 
minions, and convinced by the most affect¬ 
ing p'oofs of your majesty's paternal love to 
all your people, however distant, and your 
unctasing and benevolent desire s to promote 
their happiness, w e most humbly beset eh 
your majesty that you will be graciously 
pleased to take into yoitt* royal consideration 
the distresses of your faithful subjects on tins 
continent, and to lay the same before your 
majesty’s parliament,and to afford them such 
relief, as in your royal wisdom their un¬ 
happy circumstances shall be judged tore- 
quire. And your petitioners will pray, Kte. 
rsisrned] 


meat, Assembled, 

The memorial of the freeholders and other 
inhabitants of the Massachusetts Bay, Rhode 
Island, and Providence Plantations, 

, Ni w Jersey, Pent sy ivanta. the gov¬ 
ernment of the counties of Ni w Castie, Kent 
and Sussex, upon Delaware, province of 
Maryland, 

Most humbly sheweth, 
r |'HAT his majesty's liege subjects in his 

*- American coionte though they acknow¬ 
ledge a due subordination to that august bo¬ 
dy. the British parliament, are entitled, in 
the opinion of your memorialists, to all the 
inherent rights and liberties of the natives of 
Great Britain and have, ever since the set- 
t i ntent of the colonies, exercised thos, rights 
and liberties, as far as their local circumstan¬ 
ces would permit. 

That your Memorialists humbly conceive 
one of the most essential rigliis of these 
colonists, which they have ever till lately 
uninterrupn dly enjoy t d, to be trial by jury. 

That your memorialists also humbly con¬ 
et ive another of these essential rights, to be 
the exemption from all taxes, but such as are 


Janies Otis, OllVeT Partridge, Committee imposed on the people by the several iegisla- 


frorn the House of Representatives of Mas 
sachusetts Bay. 


lures in these colonies, which rights they base 
also, till of late enjoyed. But your mentor- 


Hetcalfe Bowler, Henry Ward , Committee ialists humbly beg leave to represent to your 
from the Gtneral Assembly of Khode-Is-lordships, that the act for granting eeitain 
land and Providence Plantations. (stamp duties in the British colonies in A uteri- 

* Boston , April 14, 1765. The Commissioners from Connecticut. Eliphalet Dyer , David 
Rowland, and William Samuel Johnson. Esqrs; From New-York, Robert R. Livingston j 
John Cruger. Philip Livingston , William Bayard, And Leonard Lispenardf Esqrs; From 
South Caro ina, Thomas Lynch. Christopher Gadsden, and John Rutledge. Esqts; wire 
not empow ered to sign at the Congress, and therefore reported to their r spective Assemblies^ 
who base since, each nearly by an unanimous vote, approved of the Proceedings, and season¬ 
ably mo smitted their Petitions in tht same word-, tmd< 1 the hands of tin ir set era Speakers. 
Some of the other Provinces, particularly New-Hainpshire, have done the same. Robert 
Ogdeii, Esq. from New-Je.sey, and tbe honourable Timothy Ruggles , Esq. front Massachu- 
setts n for reasons best known to themselves if they had any, refused to sign, and abruptly 
left the Congress before the business was completed. John Dicki'is&tr* Esq. from Pennsvl- 
vania, was necessarily called home a few days befot\ the congress finished, but there w as 
no doubt in the minds of airy, but lie was a sincere friend to bis country His Province 
have tju highest opinion ofhii ‘ ‘ 

one of the 
dency, 

at one em. v-ummem. ana go through ; only as Massachusetts first proposed the Mea- 
sure.tbe compliment was paid to them by the gentlemen of the other Co.onus, of placing- 
the ft.st; but it wax merely a compliment: and it is t« be hoped, tha. on all futtu. oeca- 

i 8 -°" ,s ‘ 1 ie * oonies v ' 11 cons , K ‘ 1 ihemsel ves as oil the same footing, without the 
least claim of pre-eminence, one over the other. h 








€ongress cf 1765, 


61 



V j l . lia ^> e *‘>chts and liberties abovemention- 1 , , New Jersey, Pennsy lvania, 

°*d > and that several other late acts oi pavlia the government of the counties of New Cas- 
ment, which extend the jurisdiction and tie, Kent and Sussex upon Delaware, 
power of courts of admiralty in the pianta- province of Maryland, 
tions beyond their limits in Great Britain, Most humbly sheweth, 
thereby make an unnecessary and unhappy .. 


distinction, as to the modesof trial between us 
and our feilow subjects there, by whom we 
have never been excelled in duty and loyalty 
to our sovereign. 

That from the natural connection between 
Great Britain and America, the perpetual 
continuance of which your memorialists most 


|'HAT the several late acts of parliament, 
*- imposing divers duties and taxes on the 
colonies, ana laying the trade and commerce 
thereof, under very burthensome restrictions, 
but, above all, the act for granting and apply¬ 
ing certain stamp duties Ike. in A meriea,have 
filled them with the deepest concern and stir* 
prize, and they humbly conceive the execu- 


ardentiy desire, they conceive that nothing tionof them will bealtended with consequent 
can conduce more to the interest of both, thanjces very inj urious to the commercial interest 
the colonists’ free enjoyment of their rights of Great Britain and her colonies, and must 
and liberties, and an affectionate intercourse terminate in the eventual ruin of the latter, 
between Great Britain and them. But your Your petitioners, therefore, most ardently 
memorialists (not waving their claim to these implore the attention of the honourable house 
rights, of which, with the most becoming to the united and dutiful representation of 
veneration and defetence to the wisdom and their circumstances, and to their earnest sup- 
justic of your lordships, they apprehend, plications for relief from those regulations, 
the not reasonably he deprived) humbly that have already involved this continent in 
represent, That from the peculiareircumstan- anxiety, confusion and distress. 
ce>ufthese colonies, the duties imposed by We most sincerely recognize our alle- 
the aforesaid act.and several other late acts giance to the crown, and acknowledge all 
of parliament, are extremely grievous and due subordination to the parliament of Great 


burthensome; and the 
duties will very soon. 


paymt nt of the said 
for want of specie. 


Britain, and shall always retain the most 
grateful sensi ofthtir assistance and protec- 


become absolutely impracticable; and thatjtion; it is f.om and under the English consti- 
the restrictions on trade by the said acts, willjtution we derive al our civil and religious 


not only distress the colonies, but must be ex¬ 
tremely detrimental to the trade and true 
interest of Great Britain. 


rights and liberties; weglory in being subjects 
of the best of kings, and having been born un¬ 
der tile most perfect form of government. But 


Y our memorialists, therefore, impressed it is with the most ineffable and humiliating 
with a just sense of the unfortunate circum (sorrow that we find ourselves of late, deprived 
stances of the colonies, and the impending de-'of th r ght of granting our own property for 
structive consequences which must necessari-ibis majesty’s service, to which our uves and 
ly ensue from the execution of those acts.(fortunes are entirely devoted, and to which, 


animated with the wannest sentiments of 
liii.< alfection for their mother country, most 
earnestly and humbly entreat that your lord 
ships will be pleased to hear their counsel in 
support of i his memoria , and take the pre¬ 
mises into your most serious consideration, 
and that your iordships will also be thereupon 
pleased to pursue, such measures for restor¬ 
ing the just rights and liberties of the colo¬ 
nies, and preserving them forever inviolate, 
for redressing their present, and preventing 
future grievances, thereby promoting the 
unit, d interest of Great Britain and America, 
as to your iordships, in your great wisdom, 
shall seem most conducive and effectual to 
that important end. And your memorialists 
as in duty bound, will pray, &c. 

[Signed ns before .] 

Then the congress adjourned till to-mor¬ 
row morning, 9 o’clock. 

Wednesday, October 23d, 1765, A. M .—The 
congress met according to adjournment. 

The petition to th. house of commons, be¬ 
ing engrossed, was read and compared, and 
is as follows,viz: 

To the honourable the knights, citizens and 
burgesses of Great Britain, in parliament 
assembled , 

The petition of his majesty’s dutiful and ioy 
VOL. X. 6 


on his royal requisitions, we have ever been 
eady to contribute to the utmost of our abili¬ 
ties. 

We have also the misfortune to find, that 
ali the penalties and forfeitures mentioned in 
the stamp act, and in divers late acts of trade 
extending to the plantations, are at the elec* 
tion of the informer, recoverable in any court 
of admiralty in America. This, as the newly 
erected court of admiralty has a genera ju¬ 
risdiction overall British America, renders his 
majesty’s subjects in these colonies, iiable to 
be carried at an immense expense from one 
end of the continent to the other. 

It gives us also great pain to see a manifest 
distinction made therein between the subjt cts 
of our mother country and those in the colo¬ 
nies, in that the like penalties and forfeitures 
recoverable there only in his majesty’s courts 
of record, are made cognizable here by a 
court of admiralty. By thes means we seem 
obe, in effect, unhappily deprived of two 
privileges essential to freedom a <1 which 
all Eng.isheen ha e ever considered as their 
best birth-rights, that of being free from all 
laxesbnt such as they have consented to in 
person, or by their representatives, and of 
triai by their peers. 

Your petitiom rs further shew, that the 
remote situation, and other circumstances of 







6.2 


Congress 

the colonies, render it impracticable that 
they shou.d be represented, but in their res- 
ective suuordinate legislatures; and they 
umbly conceive, that the parliament, adher¬ 
ing strictly to tlie principles of the constitu¬ 
tion, have never hitherto taxed any but i hose 
who were actually therein represented ; for 
this reason, we humbly apprehend, tin y nev¬ 
er have taxed Ireland, or any other of the sub¬ 
jects without the realm. 

But were it ever so cl ar, that the colonies 
might in law be reasonably deemed to be rep¬ 
resented in the honourable bouse of commons, 
yet we conceive, that very good reasons, from 
inconvenience, from the principles of true 
policy, and from the spirit of the British con¬ 
stitution, may be adduced to shew, that it 
would be for the real interestot Great-Britain 
as well as he colonies, that the late regulations 
should be rescind d. and the several acts of 
parliament imposing duties and taxes on the 
colonies, and extending thejurisdiction of the 
courts of admiralty here, beyond their anci¬ 
ent iimits, should be repealed. 

We shall not attempt a minute detail of all 
the reasons which tin wisdom of the honoura¬ 
ble house may suggest, on this occasion, but 
would humbly submit the fol.owing particu¬ 
lars to their consideration: 

That money is already become very scarce 
in these colonies, and is still decreasing by the 
necessary exportation ot specie from tin con¬ 
tinent for the discharge of our dents to British 
merchants-!— 

That an immensely heavy debt is yet due 
from the colonies for British manufactures, 
and that they are stiil heavily burthened with 
taxes to discharge the arrearages due for aids 
granted by them in the late war— 

Tliatth" balance of trade will ever be much 
against the colonies, and in favour of Great 
Britain, whilst we consume her manufactures, 
the demand for which must ever increase in 
proportion to the number of inhabitants sei- 
tled here, with the means of purchasing them. 
We therefore humbly conceive it to be the in¬ 
terest of Great-Britain, to increase, rather than 
diminish, those means, as the profits of ail the 
trade f the colonies ultimately center there 
to pay for her manufactures, as we are not al¬ 
lowed to purchase elsewhere; and by the con¬ 
sumption of which,at tlieadvanced prices the 
British taxes oblige the makers and venders 
to set on them, we eventually contribute very 
largely to the revenue of the crown— 

That from thenatureof American business, 
the ihu tiplicity of suits and papers used in 
matters 'of small value, in a country where 
freeholds are so minutely divided, and.pro¬ 
perty s i frequently transferred, a stamp duty- 
must ever be very burthensome and une¬ 
qual— 

t’hat it is extremely improbable that the 
ho nourable house of common's should, at ail 
times, be thoroughly acquainted with our 
condition, and a! facts requisite to a just ami 
equal taxation of the colonies. 

It is also nuiqbsy submitted. Whether there 
•be ot a tnae'ria: distinction in reason and 
( reut)d pmicy.at least, between the necessary 
-exercise of parliamentary jurisdiction in gene- 
acts, for the amendment of the common 


of 1765 . 

law, and the regulation of trade and com¬ 
merce through the whole empire, and tli ex¬ 
ercise of that jurisdiction, by imposing taxes 
on the colonies. 

That the several subordinate provincial 
legislatures have been moulded into forms, as 
nearly resembling that of their mother-coun- 
tiy,as by his Majesty's royal predecessors was 
thought convenient; and their legislatures 
seem to have been wisely and graciously es¬ 
tablished, that tin- subjects in the colonies 
might, under the due administration thereof, 
enjoy the happy fruit? of (lie British govern¬ 
ment. which in their present circninstance,; 
they cannot be so fmly and clearly availed of, 
any other way under these forms of govern¬ 
ment we and our ancestors have been born or 
settled, and have had our lives, liberties and 
properties protected ; he people lieie as 
every where else, retain a great fondness for 
their old customs and usages, and we trust 
that his Majesty’s s> 1 vice, and the interest of 
the nation, so far from being obstiucted, have 
been vastly promoted by the provincial legis¬ 
latures. 

That we esteem our connections with, and 
dependence on Great-Britain, as one of 
our greatest blessings, and apprehend the 
latter will appear to he sufficiently secure, 
when it is considered that the inhabitants in 
the colonies have tin most unbounded affec¬ 
tion for his Majr sty’s tiers n, family am! go¬ 
vernment, a3 well as tor the mother-country, 
and that their subordination to the parliament 
is universally acknowledged. 

We, therefore, most humbly entreat. That 
the honourab e house would be pleased to 
hear our counsel in support of this petition, 
and take our distressed and deplorable case 
into their serious consideration, and that the 
acts and clauses of acts, so grievously restrain¬ 
ing our trade and commerce, imposing duties 
ami taxes on our property, and extending the 
jurisdiction of the court of admiralty beyond 
its ancient limits, may be repealed ; or that 
the honourable house would otherwise relieve 
your petitioners,as in your great wisdom and 
goodness shall seem meet. 

And your petit loners ns in duty bound shall, 
ever pray. [Signed as before .j 

Then the congress adjourned till to-morrow 
morning, ten o’clock. 

Thursday, October 24, 1765. The congress 
met according to adjournment. 

The congress took into consideration the 
manner in w hieli their sevi ral petitions should 
he preferred and solicited in Great-Britain, 
anil came to the following determination, viz. 

It is j-ecommi nded by the congress, to the 
several colonies, to appoint special agents for 
soliciting relief from their gn at grievances, 
and unite their utmost interest and v ndeavours 
for that purpose. 

Voted unanimously , That the clerk of this 
congress sign the minutes of their procee d¬ 
ings, and deliver a copy lor the use of each 
colony an province. 

By ord. r of the congress, 

JOHN’ COT I ON, Clerk. 

Adjourned to to-morrow morping pine 
, 0 'ciock. 





Congress of 176o. 


63 


pride,n, October 25, 1765. The congress 
iiiet according to adjournment. 

Tune not permitting the clerk to make 
copies at large, of the proceedings of the con- 
grtss,fora!l the colonies, they think it pro¬ 
per, should he furnished titer with : 

Resolved, That the gentleman from P.Ias- 
sachusetts-bay be requested to send a copy 
thereof to the colony of Now-Hampshire; the 
gentlemen of Maryland to Virginia; and th 
gentlemen of South Carolina to Georgia and 
North Carolina. 

The congress then adjourned. 

Sign: d per order, 

J. COTTON, Clerk. 

A copy of the proceedings of the province of 
"New-Hampshire, as transmitted to the con¬ 
gress. 

Province ■? C In the house of represen- 
New-Hampshirc,\ tatives , Tune29th, 1765. 

Mi - . Speaker laid before the house a letter 
from tlu honourable Speaker of the honour, 
able house of representatives <f the province 
of the Massachusetts-bay, to the Speaker of 
this assembly, proposing a meeting of com¬ 
mittees, from the several assemblies of the 
British colonies on the continent, at New 
York, to considerofa general, united, dutifu. 
loyal and humble representation of our eir- 
cumstaiicts,andforie.ploringhis Majesty a <1 
the parliament fur relief: which being read, 

Resolved, That notwithstanding e are 
sensible such representation ought to be made 
and approve of the proposed method for ob | 
tabling thereof, yet the present situation of 
our governmental affairs will not permit us to; 
appoint a committee to attend such meeting,; 
biit shall be ready to join in any address to 
his Majesty and the parliament we may he! 
honoured with the knowledge of, probable to 
answer the proposed end. 

A. CLARKSON, Clerk, 

A copy of a letter received from Georgia, 
during the -.itting of the Congress : 

Savannah, in Georgia, September K th, 1765.■ 

Sir—Your letter date! in June last, ac¬ 
quainting me that the: o use of representatives! 
of your province, had unanimously agreed to! 
propose a me* ting at the city of New-York,ofl 
committers, from the houses.if representatives, 
of the several British emonies on this conti | 
nent, on the first Tuesday in October next, 
to consult together on the present circum¬ 
stances of tlie colonies, and the difficulties to 
w hich they are.and must he reduced, by the 
operation of the acts of parliament for laying 
duties and taxes on the colonies, and to consi¬ 
der o an humble representation of their con¬ 
dition to his Majesty and the parliament, and 
to iinulore relief 1 , came to hand at an unlucky 
season, it being in the recess of the genet al as¬ 
sembly of tins province; nevertheless, im¬ 
mediately upon the receipt of your lelter, I 
dispatched expresses to the several represen¬ 
tatives of this province, acquainting them 
with the purport thereof, and requesting them 
to meet at this place without delay. 

And accordingly they met here on Monday 
last, to the number of sixteen, being a large 
majority of the representatives of this pro¬ 


vince, the whole consisting of twenty-five per¬ 
sons ; but his excellency our governor being 
applied to, did not think it expedient to call 
them together on the occasion, which is the 
reason of their not sending a committee, as 
proposed by your bouse, for you may be as¬ 
sured, Sir, that no representatives on this con¬ 
tinent can more sincerely concur in the mea- 
sur s proposed, than do the representatives of 
this province now met together, neither can 
any people, as individuals, more warmiy es¬ 
pouse the common cause of the colonies, than 
do thepeoph of this province.- 
The gentlemen now im sent, request it as a 
favour you’ll bi pleased to send me a copy of 
such representation as ay be agreed upon 
by the several committees at N< w-\oik, and 
to acquaint me h >vv, and in what manm »the 
same is to be laid before tht king and parlia¬ 
ment, whether by any person particuia iy 
authorised for that purpose, or by (lie coiony 
agents ? The general assembly t this pro¬ 
vince stands prorogued to th 22d day of Oc¬ 
tober next, which is the time it generally 
meets for the dispatch of the irdiuary busi¬ 
ness of the province; and I < oubt not the 
representativesi f this province will then,in 
tln-ir legislative capacity, take under con¬ 
sideration the grievances sojust-y eomplained 
of, and transmit their sense of tlu same to 
Great-Britain, in such way as may s< •. m b st 
ealeu ated to obtain redress, ami so as io con* 
vinct the sister colonies of their invioiui-u at* 
tachment to the common cause. 

I am. Sir, your most obedient, and most 
humble servant, 

ALEXANDER WILLY. 

To Samuel IVhite, Esqr. speaker of thehousc 
of representatives*of Massachusetts-Bay. 
The two foregoing letters are true copies 
from the original. 

Attest. JOHN COTTON, Clerk. 

Copy of a Letter from the committee appoint - 
cd by the House of Representatives of Ma¬ 
ri,land, to Charles Garth, Esq. Agent for 
the Colony of South Carolina, in London, 
dated New Turk, October 26, 1765. 

SIR, 

\,\7E had the honour to he appointed by the 
* * house of representatives of the province 
of Maryland, a committee, to meet commit¬ 
tees of the members of assembly of th* oth¬ 
er colonies on this continent, at New York, 
the first of this instant, to join in a general, 
and united, dutiful, loyal, and humble repre¬ 
sentation of tlie condition of these colonies, to 
his Majesty and the parliament, and to im- 

f iiore relief from the grievous burthens lately* 
aid upon our trade, and the taxes and duties 
lately imposed on us, especially by the Stamp 
act. 

Accordingly members from nine colonies 
met, to wit.from the Massachusetts bay, Con¬ 
necticut, Rhode Island and Providence plan- 
tations,New York,New Jersey, Pennsylvania, 
the government of the counties of New Cas¬ 
tle, Kent and Sussex, upon Delaware, Mary¬ 
land, and South Carolina, but as you’ll find 
the address, &c. signed only by members from 
six of those colonies, it may be proper to ac¬ 
quaint ydu with the reasons why they (fid 








o4 


Congress of 1 


r* {*■**’ 

I oo. 


not all sign, though they all concurred with 
the proceedings. 

The lieutenant governor of New York pro¬ 
rogued their assembly from time to time, so 
hat their house had not an opportunity of 
appointing members vvithfull powers to join, 
and sign the address. See. Yet the assembly 
of New York having, at their last meeting, 
appointed five of their meinbei s as a commit¬ 
tee, not only to correspond with their agent 
at home, but also during the recess of the 
house, to write to and correspond with the 
several assemblies, or committees of assem¬ 
blies on this continent, on the subject matter 
of the several lateacts of parliament, so griev 


tion which we find in those letters, that you 
enjoy an independent si at in the British par¬ 
liament, induced us (as we have no establish¬ 
ed agent at present, for this province, 'ndr 
have yet been able to obtain a law to tax our- 
seBes for that purpose) to trouble you with 
our request, that you will present the inclosed 
address to his Majesty, and memorial and pe¬ 
tition to the houses id parliament, and exert 
your utmost interest and abilities in behalf of 
this poor distressed country, and of this pro¬ 
vince in particular. 

We hope, as there is a change in the minis¬ 
try, and as the gentlemen in the hous* of 
commons may, at th<-ir next meeting, take a 


ous and dangerous to tlieir colonies, it wasjmore enlarged view of the true interest of 
thought proper to admit this committee to Great-Britain and her colonies, they will find 
join in the conferences, and they agreed to it to be in supporting the rights and enconr- 
what was done, and promised to use their en-|aging[ L ^ ‘ - 1 


deavours with their assembly to concur also 
whenever they should be permitted to 
meet. 

The South Carolina assembly, not rightly 
viewing the proposal (which originally came 
from the assembly of the government of the 
Massachusetts bay) as it w as intended that the 
several committees, when met, should frame 
and sign an address to his Majesty, and memo¬ 
rial and petition to the parliament, to be 
immediately dispatched by the congress, in¬ 
structed their members,(Messrs. Lynch, Rut¬ 
ledge and Gadsden) to reurn their proceed¬ 
ings to them for approbation The Connec¬ 
ticut assembly made the same restrictions in 
their instructions. The assembly also of 
New Hampshire wrote, that they had resolv¬ 
ed, That notwithstanding they were sensi¬ 
ble such a representation ought to be made, 
and approved of the proposed method for ob¬ 
taining thereof, yet the present situation of pounds sterling,* as a compensation for your 


the trade of tue latter, and that ihe 
happiness of the mother-country and her colo¬ 
nies must be inseparable, and that w e shall, 
obtain relief. 

I he several committees agreed to recom¬ 
mend it to their respective colonies, to appoint 
special agents on this occasion, and to instruct 
them to unite their utmost interest and endea¬ 
vours for that purpose. One address, &c. w as 
transmitted by the gentlemen ot the Massa- 
chus< tts government, immediately to tlieir 
agent (Mr. Jackson we understood) and w e 
expect the other colonies will have duplicates 
sent to tlu iragents,and we hope w ill all unite 
in expence and instructions, to have able 
counsel before both the lords and commons,as 
our petitions pray. 

We were intrusted with the disposition of 
some money upon this occasion, and inclose 
you a bill of exchange on Messrs. Capel and 
Osgood Hanbury, for one hundred and fifty 


their governmental affairs would not permit 
them to appoint a committeee to attend such 
meeting, but should be ready to join in any 
address to his Majesty and the parliament 
they might be honoured with the knowledge 
of, probable to answer the proposed end: and 
the Speaker of the Assembly of Georgia 
wrote, that a majority of their members had 
applied to the governor to call their assembly, 
and he did not think it expedient, which was 
the reason they did not send a committee as 
proposed, but requested us to transmit a copy 
of our proceedings to them (which will be 
done) and that their assembly would meet 
about this time, and he did not doubt but they 
should act so as to convince the sister colonies 
of their inviolable attachment to the common 
cause: vvealso understood the North-Carolina, 
and we know the Virginia assembly was pro¬ 
rogued, whereby they could not have the op¬ 
portunity of joining us; so that we doubt not 


trouble and expence in this affair. We doubt 
not our assembly will approve of what we do 
in this matter; and as they are to meet the 
last of this month, we shall lay our proceed¬ 
ings before them, and it is probable they w ill 
write you more fully, and furnish you with 
such further instructions and arguments as 
may appear to them to be propt r to be given 
and urged on this occasion, in behalf of the 
colonies. We are, your most obedient ser¬ 
vants. WILLIAM MURDOCK, 

EDWARD TILGHMAN, 
THOMAS RINGGOLD. 

Mr. Haggles, of Massachusetts was one of 
the two members of the Congress who re 
fused to sign the petitions. T his caused 
the following proceedings in the House of 
Representatives of Massachusetts: 

Feb. 6, 1766. The House,according to the 
order of the day, entered into the conduct and 


hut the colonies who have not signed, will services of the Committee in the late Con 
very speedily transmit similar addresses, Jkc.lgress at New York. And after debate, the 
if their assemblies should not he hindered question w as put, whether the reasons offered 
from meeting : and to this purpose, we hope by Brigadier Rugglesforhis not signing the 
you’ll soon hear from the assembly of South-petitions prepared by the late Congress at 
Carolina. New York, be satisfactory to this House? It 

By the gentlemen of that colony we passed in the negative. 
were favoured with a sight of your late letters Then the question was put, whether the 
and informed of your careful and spirited reasons offered by Brigadier Ruggles for 
conduct w ith regard to the interests of that leaving the late Congress at New York, be- 
colonv, and that, together with your declara-jfore they hail completed their Business, 







6a 


Congress of 1765 . 


satisfactory to this House. 
negative. 

Resolved unanimously, That the account 
given by James Otis and Oliver Partridge, 
Esqrs. of their conduct at the late Congress 
at New York, is satisfactory to the House. 

Feb. 12, 1766. The House again entered 
into the consideration of the conduct of Brig¬ 
adier Ruggles, at the Congress at New York, 
and after a tong debate, the question was put, 
Whether the House will proceed any further 
with respect to the conduct of Brigadier 
Ruggles at the Congress at New York. It 
passed in the affirmative. 

Thereupon Resolved , That Brigadier Rug¬ 
gles, with respect to his conduct at the Con 
gressat New York, has been guilty of neglect 
of duty, and that he be reprimanded therefor 
by the Speaker. 

Feb. 13, 1766. Brigadier Ruggles appear¬ 
ing m the House, Mr. Speaker said to him as 
follows, viz: 

“Brigadier Ruggles, The House last even¬ 
ing voted that with respect to your conduct, 
at the late Congress at New York, you were 
guiity of neglect of duty, and thereupon or¬ 
dered that you shall receive a Reprimand 
from the Speaker of this house, therefor. 

‘Sir, in discharge of my duty as Speaker of 
this House, and in pursuance of their order, 1 
do reprimand you accordingly. Sir, it gives 
me very sensible pain, that a gentleman who 
has heretofore been in such high estimation in 
this House should fall under their public cen 
sure. I hope, sir, that by yourfuture conduct 
you wilknotonly regain the good opinion this 
House have heretofore entertained of you; 
but also the good opinions of all those whose 
displeasure you may have fallen under on 
this occasion.” 


Brigadier Ruggles ’ Reasons for his Dissent 
from the Resolutions of the Congress at 
Nciv York, as given into the House, Febru¬ 
ary 19, 1766. 

Honorable House having, on my mo- 
tion, been graciously pleased to indulge 
me with adjoining the Reasons in justification 
of my conduct to a publication of the Pro¬ 
ceedings of said Congress, ordered by the 
House tube inserted at the end of the Jour¬ 
nals of the present sess ons, first layingthem 
bt fore the House—1 beg leave to offer the 
following. 

And as to the charge of not signing the ad¬ 
dresses— 

First. My instructions from this honorable 
House, conceived in the following words, 
viz. “It is the expectation of the House 
that a most loyal and dutiful address to his 
Majesty and his Parliament, will be prepar¬ 
ed by the Congress, praying as well for the 
removal of the grievances the colonies labor 
under at present, as for the preventing oth¬ 
ers for the future ; which petitions, if drawn 
up, as far as you shall be able to judge, agree¬ 
able to the mind of this House, you are em¬ 


it passed in the that duty and loyalty which are due to the 
best of sovereigns, and consequently not 
agreeable to my above instructions from this 
House, left as a mere matter of judgment 
and discretion if I had signed it, I must 
have acted indirect opposition to those instruc¬ 
tions, and thereby have exposed myself not 
only to the censures of this House, but to the 
reproaches of my own conscience, a tribunal 
more awful to me than this (however great) 
by winch I have been condemned. 

Secondly. That it is more regular, consti¬ 
tutional, and conformable to the constant 
practice of the colonies, to have their Peti¬ 
tions and Remonstrances to the King and 
Parliament of Great Britain, signed by the 
Speakers of their Houses. 

Thirdly. That the signing of the said Ad¬ 
dresses by the Committees of the several Col¬ 
onies, which attended the Congress, and w ho 
were empowered to sign the same, could 
by no construction come up to a general Ad¬ 
dress from the Colonies, as the Committees 
from the Colonies of South Carolina, Con¬ 
necticut, and New York, were not empower¬ 
ed, and therefore could not sign; and the 
Colonies of Nova Scotia, New Hampshire, 
Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia did 
not send Committees to the Congress, and 
some had no regular appointment; so that in 
this respect it was but a very partial signing ; 
and therefore it was more agreeable to the 
instructions of this House to their committee, 
after having, conformable, not only to the 
spirit, but the very w ords of their instructions, 
to unite in sentiment, and agree upon such 
representations as may tend to preserve our 
l ights and privileges,” to return the same to 
the House for their approbation, especially as 
we knew the House was then sitting, and as 
I then apprehended, and in fact would have 
been the case, little or no time would have 
been lost. 

Fourthly. A matter of so great importance 
to the Colonies, and of so delicate a nature as 
the open and avowed claim ot an exclusive 
right of taxation, (however true,) to be as¬ 
serted in addresses to the King and Parlia¬ 
ment, was a measure I could not bring my¬ 
self to adopt, as my appointment to this ser¬ 
vice, upon motion made, I could not obtain 
an explanation on that point, nor did I 
think it was then the sense of the House, I 
therefore thought it my duty, and most re¬ 
spectable to the House, to report the draughts 
agreed upon for their acceptance. 

Fifthly. In my apprehension those Ad¬ 
dresses would have had greater weight, and 
would have been more favorably received by 
the King and Parliament, had they been au¬ 
thenticated by the suffrages of the various 
Houses of Representatives and Burgesses 
throughout the Continent, and signed by 
their respective Speakers. 

As to the charge of leaving the Congress 
before the business was completed, and the 
Petition to his Majesty w as laid before me, 
such difficulties arose in my mind, as that in 


powered to sign and forward. _ 

The petition agreed upon by Congress to its present form I could not bring myself to 
be presented to his Majesty not being con-sign; and the reasons for reporting the 
ceived in terms clearly enough expressive of draughts to the several Assemblies operat* 

6* 







66 


Repeal of the Stamp Act. 


ing strongly on my mind, I made some ex* 
ceptions to the gentlemen of the Congress 
on the address to his Majesty, and offered 
some general reasons for the expediency of 
reporting the draughts to our respective As¬ 
semblies, in which I was seconded by divers 
members, and which occasioned a iong and 
warm debate ; upon which it was determin¬ 
ed by a vote, that the Address to his Majesty, 
which was at that time in a fair draught, to¬ 
gether with those to the Lords and Com¬ 
mons, should be laid on the table the next 
morning, in the form they had before passed 
the Congress, and been entered upon the 
Journal, to be signed by such of the members 
as thought proper. I then acquainted the 
Congress that I purposed to go out of 
town early next morning. And after the 
Congress was adjourned till the next mor¬ 
ning, I look my leave of the members, which 
was on Thursday evening, the 24th of Octo¬ 
ber, w hen I concluded all the business of the 
Congress was entirely finished except the 
bare signing, which, for the reasons given, 1 
had refused. 


Mr. Speaker, This Honorable House have 
adjudged my Reasons insufficient to support 
my conduct,and I feel the w eight of thiir in¬ 
dignation. I have, sir, more than once trem¬ 
bled under a sense of my own insufficiency 
t«.- support the dignity of the high trust w ith 
which my Country, unasked, has honoured 
me, and to answer their just expectations in 
the discharge of them. Their candour has 
heretofore estimated my services rather liy 
the integrity of my heart than the clearness 
of my head; this uprightness they have 
not otdy been pleased to accept, but bounti¬ 
fully to reward. When this House honored 
me with this appointment, in undertaking it, 
I promised myself the same indulgence, I 
have exercised the same freedom of judg¬ 
ment. I have attended the duty with the same 
love to my country and its liberties, I have 
acted w ith the same singleness and upright¬ 
ness of intention, and with the same ardent 
desire to serve the public w eal which 1 have 
ever made the rule of my conduct. But alas! 
I meet w ith a very different reward. 


VII. Repeal of the Slump del. 


The King's Speech on opening the 5th Ses¬ 
sion of the 12 th Parliament of Great Bri¬ 
tain, Dec. 17, 1765. t 
My Lords and Gentlemen: 

The present general state of tranquillity in 
Europe, gave me hopes that it would not 
have been necessary to convene my Parlia¬ 
ment sooner than is usual in times of peace. 

But as matters of great importance have 
lately occurred in some of my colonies in 
\merica, w hich will demand the most serious 
attention of Parliament; and as further in¬ 
formations are daily expected from different 
parts of that country, of which I shall order 
i he fullest accounts to be prepared for your 
consideration ; I have thought fit to call you 
now together, in order that opportunity may 
thereby be given, to issue the neeesssary writs 
on the many vacancies that have happened 
in the House of Commons since the last ses¬ 
sion,* so that the parliament may be full to 
proceed immediately after the usual recess, in 
the consideration of such weighty matters as 
will then come before you. 

Extract from the Lords' Address of Thanks. 

“We should be wanting in our duty, not to 
assure your Majesty, that w hen your Majesty 
shall have been pleased to'-communicate to 
your Parliament those informations and advi¬ 
ces which have been or shall be received 
from America, we will proceed to the consid¬ 
eration of those weighty matters witli an at¬ 
tention equal to the importance of the sub¬ 
ject, and with a reso ution to do every thing 
which the exigency of the ease may require.” 

[The following paragraph, proposed as an 
amendment to follow the above, w as rejected 
after a long debate:] 

“Toexpress to his Majesty our deep con¬ 
cern and indignation at the dangerous tu¬ 


mults and insurrections which have been rais¬ 
ed and fomented in bis Majesty’s dominions 
of North America, in opposition to the exe¬ 
cution of the laws, and in open defiance of 
the parliamentary right of Great Britain; 
and that we embrace with pleasure the earli¬ 
est opportunity in our power to assure liis 
Majesty, that, fully sensible of the indispen¬ 
sable necessitv of vindicating and t stablisliing 
the just power of the legislature of Great 
iBritain, we will cheerfully concur in every 
measure which may strengthen the- hands of 
Government, and enforce the legal obedi¬ 
ence of the Colonies, and their constitution¬ 
al dependence on the sovereign authority of 
this Kingdom.” 

Extract from the Commons' Address of 
Thanks. J 

“We, your Majesty’s most dutiful and lov- 
al subjects, the Commons of Great Britain in 
Parliament ass- mbled, big leave to return to 
your Majesty, the thanks of this House, for 
your most giacious speech from the Throne, 
and to assure your Majesty that we w ill not 
tail, w hen this House shall be supplied with 
its members, to apply ourselves with the ut¬ 
most diligence and ammion to those impor¬ 
tant occurrences in America, which your 
Lajesty recommends to our consideration 
and to exert our most zealous endeavors for 
the honor of your Majesty’s government, and 
the true interest of your people in all parts 
of you rex tended empire.” 

[A paragraph to the following effect, was 
proposed to be added to the above as an 
amendment, but was withdraw n by leave of 
tbe House:] 

4i To express our just resentment and in¬ 
dignation at the outrages,tumults, and insur¬ 
rections which have been excited and carried 


. after the first prorogation of the last session of Parliament, an aim-st 

change had happened m our administration, w hich of course occasioned a grant 


thorou 

mnnv ’ 








07 


Repeal of the Stamp Act. 


on ill North America, and at the resistanceithese kingdoms, will firmly and effectually 
given by open and rebellious force, to the ex-support his Majesty in all such measures as 
ecution of the laws in that part of his Majes-lshall be necessary for preserving and seeur- 
ty’s dominions ; to assure his Majesty that hising the legal dependance of the Colonies on 
faithful commons, animated with the warm-this their mother country; for enforcing 
est duty and attachment to his royal personjtheir due obedience to the laws; for main, 
and government, and to the constitution obtaining the dignity of the crown, and exert" 

cant seats in the House of Commons, as the seat of every member of that House, who ac¬ 
cepts of any post or place in the Government, becomes thereby vacant, and cannot be sup¬ 
plied but bya new writ, which though stid issued in the King’s name, cannot now be issued 
without an order from that House in Parliament assembled. For this reason the next ses¬ 
sion was by proclamation summoned to meet on the 17th of December, for the despatcli of 
business, though they could have but four or five days for that purpose, before the usual 
time of adjourning for the Christmas holidays; and accordingly his Majesty gave them 
tiie reasons for his summoning them to meet before Christmas, in his speeeli from the 
throne.— Hist. Parliament. 


List of the British Ministry under which the acts affecting the American Colonies were 
passed; and of the new Ministry under which the Stamp Act was repealed. 


Offices and places. 

Lord Chancellor . . . 

Lord President . . . 

Lord Privy Seal . . - 
Lord Chamberlain . . 

Vice Chamberlain . . • 

Groom of the Stole . • 

Lord Steward .... 
Treasurer of the Household 

Comptroller. 

Cofferer. 

Treasurer of the Chamber 

Master of Horse. 

Captain of Yeomen Guard 
Captain of Band of Pensioners 
First Lord of the Treasury 
Chancellor of the Exchequer 

Lords of the Treasury . . . 

First Lord of the Admiralty 


Lords of the Admiralty 


Secretaries of State . 
Chancellor of Duchy 
Chief Justices Eyre . 

Postmasters . . • 

Master of Ordnance . 
Secretary of War 


Duke of Bedford's Ministry, 
April 1763 . 

Lord Northmgton . . . 
Duke of Bedford . 

Duke of Marl boron gi 
Lord Gower . . 

Hon. W. Finch . , 

Lord Huntingdon 
Lord Talbot . . 

Lord Povvis . . . 

Lord C. Spencer 
Lord Tliomond 
Sir Gilbert Elliot 
Duke of Rutland . 

Lord Falmouth . , 

Lord Litchfield . 

George Grenville . 

George Grenv ille 
fLord North > . 

! Sir J. Turner . . 
j T. O. Hunter 
LJ. Harris .... 

Lord Egmont . 
f Dr. George Hay . 

Lord Carysfort . 

Lord Howe . . . 
s Hans Stanley . . 

Lord Digby . . . 

.Thomas Fitt. . , 

r Lord Sandwich 
| Lord Halifax 
c Lord Strange . . 

f Duke of Leeds . 

I Lord Breadalbane 
C Lord Trevor 
l Lord Hyde . . . 

Lord Granby 
Wei bore Ellis . . 


Pay Master.Lord Holland 


'Treasurer of the Navy 
First Lord of Trade . 


Lords of Trade 


Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 
Vice Treasurers .... 


Lord Barrington . 
Lord Hillsborough 
fSoame Jenyns . . 

I Edward Elliot . 
i Edward Bacon 
Jeremiah Dyson 
Bainber Gascoigne 
George Rice . . 
Lord Orwell . . 
Lord Norlhumberlant 
f James Oswald . . 

t Robert Nugent . 
Richard Rigby 


Lord Rockingham's Min¬ 
istry , July 1767. 

Lord Northingt n. 

. Lord Winchelsea. 

Duke of Newcastle. 

. Duke of Portland. 

Lord Villiers. 

Lord Huntingdon. 

Lord Talbot. 

. Lord Edgecomb. 

T. Pelham. 

Lord Scarborough. 

Sir Gilbert Elliot. 

. Duke of Rutland. 

Lord Falmouth. 

Lord Litchfield. • 

Lord Rockingham. 

• W. Dowdeswell. 

f Lord J. Cavendish. 

* 'Thomas Townsend. 

^ George Onslow. 

Lord Egmont. 

. f Sir C. Saunders 
j Hon. A. Reppel. [liain. 
. I C. Townsend, of Honing* 
j Sir. W. Meredith. 

. , John Buffer. 

(.Thomas Pitt. 

. C General Conway. 

£ Duke of Grafton. 


Lord Strange. 


A 


Duke of Leeds. 

Lord Monson. 

C Lord Besborough. 

£ Lord Grantham, 

Lord Granby. 

Lord Barrington. 

C. Townsend. 

Lord Howe. 

Lord Dartmouth. 
Soame Jenyns. 

Edward Elliot. 

John Roberts, 
d Jeremiah Dyson. 

. W. Fitzherbert, 

I George Rice. 

. LLo d Palmerston. 

Lord Hertford. 

. f Jann8 Oswald. 

Lord George Sack villi’. 
. LWoibore Ellis. 















Uu 


Repeal of (he Stamp Act., 


ing the indubitable and fundamental eights 
of the legislature of Great Britain. * 

The King's Speech after the Christmas Re¬ 
cess , Jan. 14, 1766. j' 

My Lords and Gentlemen : 

When I met you last, I acquainted yoft that 
matters of importance had happened in 
America, which would demand the most se¬ 
rious attention of Parliament. 

That no information which could serve to 
direct your deliberations in so interesting a 
concern might be wanting, I have oiclered 
all the papers that give any light into the 
origin, Uie progress, or the tendency, of the 
disturbances which have of late prevailed in 
some of the northern colonies, to be immedi¬ 
ately laid before you. 

No time has been lost, on the first advice of 
these disturbances, to issue orders to the gov¬ 
ernors of my provinces and to the command¬ 
ers of my forces in America, for the exertion 
of ail the powers of government in the sup¬ 
pression of riots and tumults, and in the ef¬ 
fectual support of lawful authority. 

Whatever remains to be done on this occa¬ 
sion, 1 submit to your wisdom ; not doubting 
but your zeal for the honor of my Crown, 
your attention to the just rights and authori¬ 
ty of the British legislature, and your a.Tec 
turn and concern for the welfare and prosper¬ 
ity of all my peop;e, will guide you to such 
sound and prudent resolutions as may tend 
at once to preserve those constitutional rights 
over the Colonies, and to restore to them that 
harmony and tranquillity which have lately 


been interrupted by riots and disorders of a 
most dangerous nature. 

If an> alterations should be wanting in the 
commercial economy of the plantations, 
which may tend to enlarge and secure the 
mutual and beneficial intercourse of my 
kindomsand colonies,they will deserve your 
most serious consideration. In effectuating 
purposes so worthy of your wisdom and pub¬ 
lic spirit, you may depend upon my most 
hearty concurrence and support. The pre¬ 
sent happy tranquillity now subsisting in Eu¬ 
rope, will enable you to pursue such objects 
of our interior policy with a more uninter¬ 
rupted attention. 

Gentlemen of the House of Commons: 

I have ordered the proper estimates for the 
current service of the ytar to be laid before 
you. Such.supplies as you may grant shall 
be duly applied with the utmost fidelity, and 
shall be dispensed with the strictest economy. 

My Lords and Gentlemen: 

I earnestly recommend to you to proceed 
in your deliberations with tempi r and unan¬ 
imity. 1 lie time requires, and I doubt not 
your own inclination will lead you to, these 
salutary dispositions. I have nothing at 
heart but the assertion of legal authority, 
the preservation of tire liberties of all my 
subjects, the equity and good order of my 
government, and the concord and prosperity 
of all parts of my dominions. 

Extract from Lords Address of Thunks. 

“ We cannot avoid expressing cur satisfac¬ 
tion in your Majesty’s parental care and vigi¬ 
lance, in losing no time to issue the necessary 


r Dcc. 27, 1765. You have, to be sure, had from the office an account of what the parlia- 
Hient did, or rather did licit do, the day of their meeting. I mean the affair of cur Ameri¬ 
can Colonies relatively to the late imposed Stamp Duty, which our Colonies absolutely re¬ 
fuse to pay. The administration are for some indulgence and forbearance to those froward 
children of the mother country • the opposition are for taking vigorous, as they call them, 
but I call them violent measures: not less than let dragonades; and to have the tax collect- 
i d by the troops we have there. For my part, I never saw a froward child mended by 
whipping; and I would not have the mother country become a stepmother. Our trade 
to America brings in, communihns minis, two millions a year, and the stamp duty is but 
estimated at 100,000/ a yeftr, which L would by no means bring into the stock of the exche¬ 
quer at the loss or even risk of a million a year to the national stock.— Lord Chesterfield. 

t The Parliament did not assemble till the 17th of December, and separated ior the 
Christmas reeess,without transacting any business, except issuing w rits to fill up vacan¬ 
cies. In this interval a meeting w as held at the house of the Marquis of Rockingham, for 
the purpose of arranging measur s against the opening of the session, and particularly w ith 
respect to the late transactions in America. Among the persons present were the Marquis of 
Rockingham &m\ LovdEgmont, Gen. Conway Mr. DuwdcsxvcU, the Earl of Dartmouth, and 
Mr. Yorkc. 1 lie most effective and dignified advice was. to d clare by an Act of Parlia¬ 
ment, the legislative power of Great Britain over America, and inflict penalties of high 
treason on those w ho should impeach that authority, either by spt aking or writing. The 
supremacy of the parent country being thus ascertained, it was recommended to bring in a 
bill, to explain, alter, and amend the Stamp Act, in such a manner as would render the ope¬ 
ration easy,and its provisions untxc ptionabie. The principal alterations were, that du. 
ties should be paid in currency,instead of sterling money ; off nces against the act tried in 
Courts of Record, instead of the Court of Vice Admiralty; and »he merchants relieved, by 
taking off, or greatly reducing, thestamps on cocquets and clearances. But this firm and 
manly advice did not prevail ; the opinions previously delivered by some members of ad¬ 
ministration were incompatible with such measures; and although Mr. Dowdeswel!, 
Chancellor of the Exchequer, produced letters from New York, imputing that the money 
collected from the duty on molasses, had been detained in the colony by the threats and 
orders of the mol)—yet no vigorous measure was resolved on. In fact, nothing was decid¬ 
ed, except the terms in which the King*s speech should be comprised, and the Ministry 
formed no regular or consistent plan of operation and mutual support.— Adolphus. 




6<J 


Repeal of the Stamp Act . 


orders fbr exerting tti& several powers of gov 


ernoient m the suppression of riots and tu¬ 


mults, and the support of order and legal au¬ 
thority. Concurring heartily with your Ma¬ 
jesty’s salutary intentions, we will exert our 
Utmost endeavours to assert and support your 
Majesty’s dignity and honour, and the legis¬ 
lative authority of this kingdom over its colo¬ 
nies ; and wiil take into consideration the 
most proper methods to provide for the resto¬ 
ration of the tranquillity of those colonies, 
'vhieh has been disturbed by such violent and 
dangerous commotions.” 


Extract from the Commons’ Address 
Thanks. 

It is with the highest sense of j our Majes- 
ty’s goodness we acknowledg< that care for 
the welfare of jour people, and that confi¬ 
dence in the loyalty and aff< etion of your 
faithful commons, which your Majesty shows 
in the early communication your Majesty has 
been pleased to order of the necessary infor¬ 
mations relative to the disturbances in Amer¬ 
ica. Your reliance on the wisdom and duty 
of your Parliament in a matter of so great 
importance, and the attention shown by your 
Majesty, in reserving to our deliberation and 
advice the joint concern of your Majesty’s 
royal authority, the rights of your Parliament 
and the happiness ot your subjects, are at 
once objects of our highest admiration and 
gratitude. 


which had been passed the preceding Session, 


all which letters and papers were ordered to 
be referred to a committee of the whole house, 
and it was resolved, that the house would, on 
the 28th resolve itself into a committee of the 
whole house for that purpose; and that the 
house might on that day be as full as possible 
it was ordered that the house should on that 
day be called oyer, as also that Mr. Speaker 
should write circular letters to the sheriffs 
and stewards of the several counties in Great 
Britain, requiring the attendance of the mem¬ 
bers of that house, upon the said 28th of Jan- 
uai j-. 

°f On the 17tJi of January, there was presen¬ 
ted to the house and read the following peti¬ 
tion of the merchants of London trading to 
North America. 


To the Honourable the House of Commons of 
Great Britain, in Parliament Assembled. 
The Petition of the Merchants of London , 
trading inNorthAmerica. humbly sheweth: 

THAT jour Petitioners have long been 
concerned in carrying on the trade 
between this country an I the British colonies 
on the continent of North America. 

T hat they have annually exported very large 
quantities of British manufactures, consisting 
of Woollen Goods ofail kinds, Cottons,Linens 
Hard-Ware. Shoes, Household Furniture, and 
almost without exception, every species of 
goods manufactured in these kingdoms, 
“It is our duty as it shall be our care, to] besides other articles imported from abroad, 
imitate that temper and equanimity whieh chiefly purchased with our Manufactures, 
a|tj>earsin j'our Majesty’s conduct, by mixing and with the produce ofour Colonies; by all 
with ottrzea forthe honourof your Mansty’s which many thousand Manufacturers, Sea- 

f oveminent, and with our just regard foi the men, and Labourers, have b> en employe d, to 
ignity and authority of Parliament; the 'hi very great and increasing benefit of this 
utmost attention to the important objects of nation. 

the trade and navigation of these kingdoms, hat, in return of these exports, your Peti- 
and thetenderest concern for the united inte- turners have received from the Colonies, Bice, 
rest ofail your Majesty’spcopie.” 


Proceedings of Parliament on the Repeal. 
As from both his Majesty’s Speeches as well 


Indigo, Tobacco, Naval Stores, Oil, Whale 
Fins,Furs,and lately Pot-Ash,with other com¬ 
modities, besides remittances by Bills of Ex- 
ichange and Bullion, obtained by the Colo- 
as from the addresses of both houses upon nists in payment for articles of their produce 
both occasions, it appears that the act of the not required for the British Market, and 
preceding Session for imposing a Stamp!therefore exported to other places. 

Duty upon our American colonies, with the That from the nature of this trade, consist- 
contests and disturbances thereby occasioned ing of British Manufactures exported, and ot 
was to be the chief affair brought before this the import of raw materials from America, 
Session, I shall begin with an account of the many of them used in our Manufactures, and 
proceedings upon that important affair, and all of them tending to lessen our dependence 
conclude that subject, before I proceed to any on neighbouring States, it must be deemed of 


the highest importance in the Commercial 
System of this nation. 

That this commerce so beneficial to the 
State, and so necessary for the support of mul¬ 
titudes, now lies under such difficulties and 


thing else. 

As his Majesty in both his Speeches from 
the throne, had been so gracious as to tell his 
Parliament, that he would order all the advi¬ 
ces and papers relative to the matters ofim- 

portance that had happened in his colonies in discouragement that nothing less than its 
America to be laid before them, accordingly utter ruin is apprehended, without immediate 
on the 14th of January, as soon as the house of interposition of Parliament, 
commons had appointed a Committee to That in consequence of the trade between, 
draw up the Address to his Majesty which the Colonies and the mother country, as es- 
tliey had then resolved on, Mr. Secretary Con- tablished, and as permitted for many jears, 
way stood up, and, by his Majesty’s command and of the experience which jour Petitioners 
presented to the house copies or extracts of a have had of the readiness of the Americans to 
great many letters from or to his Majesty’s; make their just remittances, to the utmost of 
governors in America, and from or to his I their real ability, they have been induced to 
ministers here. And also a great many make and venture such large exportations of 
other papers relative to the Stamp Duty act British Manufactures, as to leave the Cole* 











7l> 


Repeal of the Stamp Act. 


Hies indebted to the Merchants of Great Bri¬ 
tain in the sum of several millions sterling. 

t hat at tins time, the Colonists when press¬ 
ed for payment, appeal to past experience in 
proof of their willingness, but dec I re it is not 
in their power at pr< sent to make good theii 
engagements; alleging that the faxes and 
Restrictions land upon them, and the exten¬ 
sion of the Jurisdiction of Vice-Admiraitj 
Courts, established by some lat> acts of Par 
liament, particularly by an act passed in the 
14th year of his Maje sty’s reign, mtitled, “ An 
act for granting certain duties in the British 
Colonies and Plantations in America;” and 
by an act passed in the fifth year oi his pie ] 
sent Majesty’s reign, ei titled. ‘'An act for 
granting and applying certain Stamp Duties 
and other Duties, in the British Colonies and 
Plantations in America;” with several regula¬ 
tions and restraints, which if founded on acts 
of Parliament for defined purposes, are rep¬ 
resented to have been extended in such a 
manner as to disturb legal commerce, and 
harrass the fair trader, has so far interrupted! 
the usuai and former most fruitful branches! 
of their commerce, restrained the sale of their I 


Produce, thrown the slate of the several pro 
vinces into confusion,and brought on so gi eat 
a number of actual bankruptcies, that the tm* 
mer opportunities and means of remittances 
and payments are utterly lost and taken from 
them. 

That your Petitioners are by these unhappy 
events reduced to the necessity of applying 
to tins honourable house, in order to secure 
tin nisei ves and their familiss from impending 
ruin—to prevent a multitude of Manufactu¬ 
rers from becoming a burden to the .commu¬ 
nity, or eis- seeking their bread in other 
countries, to the irretrieveabie loss of the 
kingdom—to preserve the strength of thisiia- 
tion entiri—its commerce flourishing'—the 
Revenue increasing—our navigation, the 
bulwark of the kingdom, in a state of growth 
and extension,and the Colonies,from inclina¬ 
tion. duty and interest, firmly attached to 
the Mother Country.* 

Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray the 
consideration of the premises, intreating such 
i relief as to the wisdom of this honourable 
house shall seem expedient. 

I And your Petitioners shall for ever pray,Sic. 


*New-Tork, October 17,1765. Wehear that the design of establishing in this City a Mar¬ 
ket to commence on Wednesday, 23d mst. for all kinds of Home Manufacture s meets with 
universal approbation: as many’were at a loss to know how to comeat what they wanted in 
these articles. And it is « xpected it will be equally convenient to those vvlio have such 
goods on hand, and that quick sa>e end ready money, will induce them and many others, to 
increase their diligence, and bring their goods to Market. 

Neiv-Tor/c, October 24, 1765. Yesterday was opened the Market under the Exchange, 
for Home Manufactures. 1 he design was not sufficiently known in the country, and,from 
the shortness of the notice.there were neither tin plenty norvarity expected; though such a 
number of buyers appeared of all ranks, that it was not doubted bat they won id have bought 
for large sums. There was plenty of shoes ol different makes which had a quick sah , and 
Hose’s make was totally discredited by all the judicious. Brown b cached Linen and 
Diaper, Cambric, Thread Stockings, and Caps, and Women Yam Stockings, were quickly 
sold—And great demand was.mad< for more of those articles, and also for Woollen Cloths 
and Stuffs of all sorts, New-England Checks, Gloves and Mittens. And it is hoped that 
next market day. being Wednesday, the 6ih of November, the country makers w ill supply 
the great demand. 

Nov. 7, i765. Yesterday was held the Market for Home Manufactures, below the Ex¬ 
change, when a g' eat variety of articles wer. exposed to sale; but the demand was so great, 
tha every tlnng was immediately bought up. as ail ranks of people take a laudable pride in 
meaning what is made among ourseives. The Market will a ain be held on the same day 
fortnight, and from these beginnings, we hope soon to convince the most incredulous, that 
we are not so destitute of either Ingenuity, Materials, or Public Spirit as lias been alleged. 

Extract of a ietterto New York, dated, London , Dec . 14, 1765. “We are very sorry to 
receive no new orders from you.and to understand that it proceeds from the general distress 
and unhappy interruption your trade labors under at present, which gives equal alarm 
here, and we believe will be the first matter taken into consideration w hen the Parlia¬ 
ment meets, and we hope will be accommodated to general satisfaction, and that trade 
will return to its accustomed channel; which vve heartily w ish to see for mutual benefit.’* 

London, Dec. 14, 1765. We hear that the merchants upon change,on Wednesday last, re¬ 
ceived upwards of an hundred letters from New York, countermanding their orders for 
goods. 

It is computed that merchants here have not less than 150.000/ due to them from the inha¬ 
bitants of New York, and that the latter have signified that it cannot be expected that they 
can make any remittances in their present unsettled situation. 

i hursday, a number of merchants waited on the Secretaries of State, in order to lav he- 
fore them a vast number of letters received by them, forbidding the sending unv goods to 
America. 

Yesterday a deputation from the merchants of this city, trading to North America, 
w aited on the Ministry, to request their countenance and support, in the intended applica¬ 
tion to Parliament, for remedy of the distresses under which that branch of British com- 
merct now labors. 

London, Dec. 16, 1765. T he counter orders for goods commissioned from the British 
settlements, in A merica, on account of the Stamp Dutv, are said to amount to the value of 
upwards of 700,000/ stealing. 





71 


Repeal of the Sz 1 amp Act. 


This petition .was referred to the Commit¬ 
tee of the \' hole House, to whom it w ;.s retc r- 
J’ed to consider of the several papers pr« sen - 
ed to the House, on the 14th, by Mr. Seer, tary 
Conway , by his Majesty's command; and 1 
have give n of it atfuii 1< ngtli, b< cause it was 
extremely well drawn up, because most of the! 
facts mentioned in it are notorious!) true, and 
because from these facts it appears how ne¬ 
cessary it is for this nation to protect and tn 
courage our colonies and plantations in 
America; forth* pi tiiioneis might have add¬ 
ed. and I wonder they did not add, in this 
petition, after the words, [increasing benefit 


of this nation,] as follows: “and to the rais 
ing of the rents of an th land < stales in ads 
kingdom to that surprising h< ight they are 
now arrived at, and at which they could not, 
without the American trade, be supported for 
any number of ytais.’’ 

As soon as tin pi tition was referred as 
aforesaid, tin re were severall) presented to 
the House nd read, and several!) n feir< d to 
the Home Committee, thefol lowing peritluns, 
viz: 

Of the master, w ardens, and commonalty 
of the Society of Merchants, venturers of 
the city of Bristol, under their common seal; 


Leeds, Dec. .31, 1765. We have this day prepared a petition to Parliament, in bi ha f of 
fhe Am l iean colonies, which w e expect to get signed by upwards of a thousand clothiers, 
and we hope tins session of Parliament wifi relieve the Americans. 

Bos-oil, Feb. 20, 1766. Privatt letiers from England state that in the parishes of Leeds, 
JVakeJirld , Bradford,Keighly, Halifax, Hu /ter jit'Id, it chdate , and a ft w f the nearest 
country towns, there are about five IiUi dred thousand men, women and children, all en¬ 
gaged in one branch or other of the woolen manufactor) , a prevention of the export of 
which must prove greati) detrimental to them, should the colonies persist in the manufac* 
tun of their own cloths;—and therefore doubt not that it win be repealed. 

Norfolk, Va. March 14, 1766. B) our last advices from home, affairs begin to look a little 
better. 1 he whole trading interest of Great Britain seems to be united in our favour. 1 he 
.City of Glasgow have appointed tin ee of their members to reside in London, during the 
Session of Parliament, who have carried up with them an Address in favour of America. 

London, Jan. 9.1756. l'he Manufacturers in England begin ahead) to feel the effi cts 
of th American Resolutions not to import any goods from England, several shipw rights, 
cainkers, and every other branch in tin shipping, down the river, not having employment 
jevt n for thiir apprentices. And we are told that one considerable stocking Manufacturer 
near the city has discharged no less than forty workmen within these few' days. 

London, Feb. 4. Several merchantmen in tin river, outward bound, for North America, 
havi had tlieir-hips companies, exce pting officers and servants, discharged for near a 
month [last, in order to save expenses, until it is known w hat shall be determined relative 
to the Stamp Act. 

On Saturday, several parties of poor feliovvs, with w eavers aprons on, w ept about the 
.courts and other private places of tins city, begging, w itli a petition in their hands, setting 
forth, that above twenty thousand of tlieir brethren wire now out of empo) mem. 

London, Feb. 3. We hear that the decrease of duty on American goods imported from 
our Colonies, and the duties paid on tljv exportation of European Merchandize to those 
parts, is coniputi d at upw ards of 120.000Z. 

London , Feb. 12. We hear that the exports to North America, on the articles of cordage, 
grindstones, and irpn pots onh. which used to be in great demand from the Colonies, are 
now decreased to the amount of a very considerable sum , the above articles being man¬ 
ufactured for the nomeconsumpfion at Boston.Philadelphia,and most of th* other provinces. 

We are confidently assured, that a very considerable quantity of black cloth is returned 
from North America, the Colonics having no occasion for i.,as they are d* t. rmined not to 
wear any mourning ; and it is asserted, by the best authority, that near 50.C0C/. oflhe man¬ 
ufactures of this kingdom, will very soon be r< turned from thence. 

Bristol, tch. 14, 1766. By letters y< sterday and to-day from London, there is the greatest 
probability of the Stamp Act being repealed ; nay it se* ms beyond doubt. his day th* re 
was to bea grand decision,and I b. ii; ve the last; and I hope to-morrow to have th*. p * a- 
surt of hearing by an ex press, the confirmation ofits b* ing repealed, and every tiling put 
in its proper channel again, ami trade once more flourish: For of late there lias he* n a 
total stagnation of all business ; thousands of poor manufaeturei s at Birmingham, Sheflit Id, 
Yorkshire, &c. fc.c. have been turned off,ahd are now starving for w ant of employ: and 
what the cons-quences will b , unless the Stamp act be repealed. God only knows, as all 
the orders for goods to be sent to North America, ar .conditional, and net to hi sent unless 
the act is repealed. The merchants in England have done all that men could do, towards 
getting tin* act repealed, and we hope their endeavours wiil be crowned with success. 

Extract of a le ter, dated Bristol, Feb- 15, 1766. Variottsare the hopes and fears of popular 
discontent, but much more so with our unmonied merchants One grand point the Pariia? 
ment have determined. That they have a rif-ht to tax the Colonists with, or without their 
consent. However it is not owing to jour sufferings that tin Stamp \et is to he repealed, 
hut to the distress it has given to the largest trading towns in tbr kingdom. 

London, Feb. 17,1766. The agreement of your merchants not to send for an) goods 
from In nee, until a Repeal, was a clincher. One Manufacturer w ho attended Parliament 
declared, unless that act was soon repealed, he should dismiss eleven hundred workmen; 
and it was hinted that one hundred thousand manufacturers would soon be in London. 

London, Feb. IS. We are informed that out; /nanjifacturer in the shoe w ay, in this city. 



72 


Repeal of the Stamp Act. 


Of the merchants,traders,and manufactu¬ 
rers of the same city; 

Of the merchants of Liverpool, trading to 
and from America and the coast of Africa ; 

Of the merchants, tradesmen, and manu¬ 
facturers of the town and parish of Halifax ; 

Of the merchants and inabitants of the bu 
rough of Leeds, trading to the several coio- 
niesof North A merica, and the manufactur¬ 
ers of broad woollen cloth, and sundry other 
assortments of woollen goods, manufactured 
for supplying the North American markets; 

Of the merchants of Lancaster , trading 
to and from North America ; 


Of the merchants, manufactures, and Ua* 
tiers of the tow n of Manchester, and neigh¬ 
borhood thereof; 

Of the manufacturers of the town and 
county of Liecester , 

And of the c othiers and manufacturers of 
superfine broad-cloth, in the town of Brad¬ 
ford in Wiltshire;— 

All complaining of a great decay in the 
trade of the North American colonies, owing 
to the late obstructions and embarrassments 
laid thereon, and piaying rtiief 

A nd af terwards, before the 28th. there were 
presented to the Mouse, and read and tvfer- 




since the resolution of the Americans to veai their ow n manufactures, has been obliged to 
reduce the number of bis workmen, from about three hundred and fifty, to less than fifty. 
And that anothe r in the Stocking trade, has been obliged to discharge as large a proportion 
ofliis workmen on the same account. 

London, Feb. 22, 1766. It is said one Merchant has declared, that he has sent to the 
value of fifty thousand pounds sterling, in the single article of nails to America, and that 
by countermanding this article, he has at present three hundred men out of busin< ss. 

Last nighi the Mouse of Commons voted for the repeal ofthe Stamp Act. They did not 
break uo until three this morning. The bells of Bow-church rang merrily on this occasion, 
the majoiity of the people being for it. Above three hundred merchants of the greatest 
property went to the house on this occasion. The majority for the reptal was one hundred 
and l ight. 

London, Feb. 25. Extract of a letter from Amsterdam, dated Feb. 22. “We are here 
in the greatest uneasiness for fear your Parliament should repeal the Stamp Act, as you 
know w ell, nothing can tend more to the promotion of our Trade, thana disunion between 
Givat Britain and her Colonies'. 1 ’ 

London , Feb. 27. We are told from Colchester, in Essex, that on receiving the news 
eoncermngthe Stamp Act, there was the greatest rejoicing ever known at that place, and 
orders given for baize, (the manufacture of that town.) to the value of 11.000/. 

London, March 1. (Extract of a letter to Boston ,) Afier various difficulties, violent 
struggles, and wonderful changes, it is at present highly brobable that a total r pea! of the 
Stamp Act will take place, for which a majority of 108 bath appear' d in the Mouse of Com¬ 
mons, after the utmost efforts made by the contending partit s, the greah r part, if not the 
whole, being influenced by European rather than American reasons. 

London , March 1, 1766. Letters from Birmingham <ay that as soon as the news relating 
to the Stamp Act arrived there on Saturday, the belts were directly set a ringing, other 
demonstrations of joy shown in different parts of the town, and some hundreds of journey¬ 
men artificers, who had been long unemployed, were immediately engaged again for the 
different manufactures carried on at that place. 

London, March 6, 1766. Yesterday a body of two hundred Members of the House of 
Commons, carried up the Bill to tin- House of Peers, for repealing the Stamp Act. An in¬ 
stance ofse.ch a number going up with a single Bill, has not been known in the memory 
of man. 

London, March 19. Yesterday morning, about < leven o’clock, a grea number of North 
American Merchants, went in their coach* from the King’s Arms Tavern, in Cornhil , to 
tin- House of Peers, to pay their duty t bis Majesty, arid to express <heir satisfaction at bis 
signing the ’rill for the repeal of the American Stamp Act. There were upwards of fifty 
eoachi s in the procession And last night the said gentlemen despatched an express for 
Falmouth, with several copie of the act for repealing the Stamp Act, to be fu warded im¬ 
mediately to New York. At the same time all the vessels in the river, concerned in the 
Plantation trade, hoisted their colours, and were adorned with streamers by order of the 
Merchants. 

Y-sttrday messengers were despatched to Birmingham, Sheffield and Manchester, and 
a’ »h- great mahu'acturing towns in England, to inform them of the signing of the 
above act. 

Q, <. is are given for several merchantmen, in the river, to proceed to sea immediately on 
their respective voyages to North America; some of which have been entered out ever 
since the 1st - if November last; 


l lie repeal of the Stamp Act begins already to produce a very favourable effect on the 
funds 

London, March 25. It is said that 'wo eminent bouses in this city last week shipped 
oft’ goods and merchandise for the West Indies and North America, to the amount of 
90 , 000 /. st rlitig. 

London March 27. Upwards of three hundred Shipwrights, Carpenters, Riggers, 
have been taken into full employment since the repeal of the Stamp Act, many of whom 
hid long been oat of bread. 






Repeal of the Stamp Jlcl. 


73 


fo.tl to tiie same committee,the following pe¬ 
titions, viz: 

Of the principal, inhabitants of the town 
of Frame; 

Of the merchants, factors, and manufactu¬ 
rers of Birmingham; 

Of the ntavor, bailiffs, and commonalty of 
the city of Coventry, and the principal 
tradesmen and manufacturers of silk, ribband 
and worsted goods, in and near the said city ; 

Of the merchants and dealers in the silk, 
mohair, and button manufactures, residing in 
the town of Maccolesjield; 

Of the merchants, traders,and manufactu¬ 
rers of Wolverhampton; 

Of the merchants, traders, and manufactu¬ 
rers of Stowbridge: 

Of the merchants and manufacturers of 
Dudley; 

Of the tradesmen, manufacturers, &c. of 
the borough of Minehead; 

Of th< mayor, aldermen and burgesses, 
principal inhabitants, ami traders in the wool¬ 
len manufactory in Taunton; 

Of the blaster, wardens, and commonalty 
of blanket-weavers in Witney; 

Of the mayor, recorder, aldermen, sheriff, 
and commonalty of the town and county of 
Newcastle upon Tyne; 

Of the merchants of Glasgow, trading to 
North America; 

Of the bailiff and burgesses of Chippen¬ 
ham; and 

Of the principal tradesmen, manufactu¬ 
rers, and inhabitants of the town of Not* 
tiv.ghnm;— > 

All containing much the same complaint as 
in the former petitions, and concluding with 
the same prayer. 

In giving this list of petitions I have 
been the more particular, as it not only shows 
how much the people even of this kingdom 
are interested in this affair, but it also shows 
how diligent the merchants and factors of, 
London had been in procuring petitions up¬ 
on this occasion, from all parts of the king¬ 
dom. 

Likewise, before the said 28tli of January, 
there were several more letters and papers, 
relative to this affair laid before the House, 
by his Majesty's command, and a great many 
accounts relating to our trade in general, as 
Well as to our American trade in particular, 
had been called for and presented; conse¬ 
quently the House,on that day, according to 
order, resolved itself into the said committee, 
as it again did on the 29th and list of Janua¬ 
ry .and on the 3d, 5tli,7th, 10th, 11th, I2th,13th. 
17lh, 18 th, and 21st of February, on some of 


which days the committee continued sitting 
till after one o'clock the next morning; and 
we cannot wonder at their having spent so 
much time in that committee, if we consider 
what they had to do; for in this interval a 
great number of other letters and papers 
had been laid before the House, by his Majes¬ 
ty’s command, a great number more of ac¬ 
counts presented, and a considerable num¬ 
ber of gentlemen [forty-five examined, who 
had been ordered to attend for that purpose. 
[For examination of Dr. Franklin see p. 77.] 

And moreover, a petition of the clothiers 
of Melksham, in Wiltshire, had been present¬ 
ed and referred, and beside all these petitions 
from the manufacturing cities and towns 
in this island, there had been presented and 
read on the llth of February, a petition of 
Stephen Fuller, Esq. Agent of the Island of 
Jamaica, setting forth that in the year 1760 
their b o t out two rebellions in the said Is¬ 
land which threatened not only the destruc¬ 
tion of the inhabitants, but the loss of 
that valuable colony to Great Britain; 
and that after the said rebellions, the assem¬ 
bly of the said island thought proper, in or¬ 
der to defray the expense then increased on 
account thereof, to lay a tax by w ay of stamps, 
which tax w as laid in the year 1760, and con¬ 
tinued till the year 1763, when that law was 
suffered to expire onaccount,as the petition¬ 
er is informed and believes, of its being une¬ 
qual and burthensome, as it certainly was in 
a high degree; and that the petitioners most 
humbfj conceiving that the actfor imposing 
certain stamp duties, in the British colonies 
and plantations in America, will be attended 
with ihe same inconveniences, if not greater, 
(on account that the forfeitures and penalties 
incurred may be sued for and recovered in 
any court of record, or in any court of admi¬ 
ralty or vice admiralty,in the island, at the 
election of the informer or prosecutor,) pray¬ 
ed for such relief in the premises as to the 
house should seem meet. 

There had, also, on the 21st of January, 
been presented a petition of Edward Mon¬ 
tagu, Agent for the colony of Virginia, and 
a petition of William Know, Agent for the 
province of Georgia, representing the ina¬ 
bility of these f rovinces to pay the stamp du¬ 
ty; which three petitions were the only pe¬ 
titions presented this session in the name of 
any of our American colonies ;* for the peti¬ 
tions, by their orders in the preceding session, 
against the stamp duty bill, whilst passing, 
had met with such a cold reception that I 
suppose most of them neglected to send or¬ 
ders to their agents to petition upon this oc- 


*The colonies petitioned this year, not separately, as at the preceding session,but eollec - 
lively, by means of tlie Congre-s. The petition of the Congress, Gee p. 59) of which the 
writer of this history takes no notice, w as presented to the House of Commons on the 27th 
of January, 1766 , but, instead of being referred, as the other petitions were, was disposed of 
in the following manner: 

“And the question being proposed that the said petition be brought up; 

“The House was moved that the resolution of the House, of the 14th day of November, 
1689, might be read. 

“And the same was read accordingly, and is as followeth ; viz: 

“ Resolved, That all Petitions presented to the House, ought to be signed by the petition¬ 
ers, with their own hands, by their names or marks.” 

"Ordered ,That the other Orders of the Day be now read.” 

VOL. X. 7 






74 


Repeal of the Stamp Jlct. 


casion, as they desjmired of obtaining relief colonies on the imperial crown and parlia* 
from Parliament,a/id, as will always happen ment of Great Britain. 

whilst the people have any spirit left, tins 4th. i hat such persons, who, on account 
made them think of having recourse to other of the desire which they have manifested to 
methods for obtaining it. comply with, or to assist in earning into ex- 

We cannot therefore wonder, as I have ecution, any acts of the legislature til Great 
said, at the committee having span so much Britain, relating to the British Colonies in 
time in considering and examining into this! North America, have suffered any injury or 
important affair; however, having, at »ast, damage, ought to have full and ampie com- 
on the 21st of hebruary, finislied in part pensation made to them for the same, by the 
their inquiry,as soon as Mr. Speaker had, on respective colonies in which sueli injuries or 
that day, resumed the Chair, Mr. Fuller re-1 damages were sustained, 
ported from the committee, that they had! 5th. I hat the house be moved, to resolve 
come to several resolutions, which they had and declare, that all his Majesty’s subjects, 
directed him to report, and that he was also i residing in the said Colonies, who have muni- 
directed by the committee to make several jfested their desire to comply with, or to assist 
motions, when the House would please to re-jin carrying into execution, any acts of the le- 
ceivethe same; whereupon it was ordered Igis atuiv of Great Britain, relating to the Bri- 
thatthe report should be received on the 24th; j tish Colonies in North America, have acted 
and then Mr. Fuller, by direction from thejas dutiful and ioyai subjects,and are thuefore 
Committee, moved that they might have leave entitled to, and will assuredly have, ihe pro- 
tositagain, which it was resoived they should jtection of the House of Commons of Great 
do, on the 4tli of March, then next. Britain. 

On the said 24th of February, before thesaid! 6th. That all persons, who, by reason of the 
report was made, there was presented to the tumults and outrages in North America, have 
House and read, a petition ofthe Mayor, AI- not been able to procure stamped paper,since 
dermen, Citizens, Merchants, Tradesmen, he passing of the act for laying certain 
and Manufactures of the city of Worcester , duties of Stamps in the Colonies, ought lobe 
whose names were thereunto subscribed ; set- indemnified from all penalties and forf< itures, 
ting forth that the then present stagnation of which they may have incurred, by writing, 
trade to the British Colonies in America, oc- engrossing, or printing, on paper, vellum, or 
casioned, as they apprehended, by the late parchment,not duly stamped, as required by 
Stamp Act, and other restrictions affecting the said act, under proper restrictions, 
their trade, was severely felt by many of the 7th. That the house be moved, that leave 
petitioners, and filled them with the most be given to bring in a bib to tepeal an act 
alarming apprehensions,foreseeing in a great passed in the last session of Parliament, intitu- 
measure their own, and the inevitable ruin of led, kk An act for granting and applying cer- 


numbers of their fellow subjects, if some ef¬ 
fectual means were not immediately applied, 
to recover and preserve so inestimable a 
branch of Commerce in these kingdoms, and 
therefore, &c. 

This petitition was of course referred to 
the same committee; but doubtless had an 
influence upon the House, when they came 
to consider the report from that Committee, 
which was that day received, and consisted 
of the following resolutions, viz : 

That it is the opinion of this Committee— 
1st. That the king’s majesty, by and with 


tain Stamp Duties, and other duties, in the 
British Colonies and Plantations in America, 
towards further def aying the expenses of de¬ 
fending, protecting, and securing the same; 
and for amending such parts of'the several 
acts of Parliament, relating to the trade anti 
revenues of the said Colonks and Plantations 
as direct the manner of determining and re¬ 
covering the penalties and forfeitures thi lein 
mentioned.” 

The first of these resolutions being read a 
second time, a motion was made for its being 


.... postponed, but after a debate, the question 

the advice and consent ofthe lords spiritual being put, it was carried in the negative, 
and temporal, and commons of Great Britain, | after which the resolution was agreed to; as 
in parliament assembled, had, hath, and of were the 2d, 3d and 4th, after li ing read a 
right ought to have,full power and authority second time, without any opposition ; and af- 
to make laws and statutes, of sufficient ter the 5th was read a second time, a motion be- 
foree and validity to bind the Colonies andling made accordingly, the house did resolve 
People of America, subjects of the crown of and declare as thereby proposed; after which 
Great Britain, in all Cases whatsoever. the 6th was read a second time and agreed to: 

2nd. That tumults and insurrections ofthe Then the 7th and last, which had occasioned 



manifest violation ofthe laws and legislative whereupon some part of the act ofthe 5th of 
authority of this kingdom. Queen Anne, chap. 8. for an union ofthe 

? d. I hat the said tumults and insurrections two kingdoms of England and Scotland, oar- 
have been greatly countenanced and inflame d ticularly, I suppose, the 18th article of that 
'by votes and resolutions, passed in several of famous treaty, was, upon motion, read, and a 

t liu n l' a /. i Kl.iti. at I lio nsi it i, >.n 1.! 1. I 1 i I . ’ . 


the assemblies of the said provinces, highly 
injurious to the honour of his Majesty 9 gov¬ 
ernment, and tending to destroy the legal 
and constitutional dependency of the said 


long debate ensued ; but trpqn the questions 
being put, it was carried in the negative, 
[yeas 133, nays 240,] consequently a motion 
w as in course made, pursuant to said revolt!- 








75 


Repeal of the Stamp Act. 


Utin, and it was ordered that leave be given 
to bring in a bill to repeal the act passed in 
the last session, for granting and applying 
certain Stamp Duties, and other, &c. |_the 
Stamp Act ;J and that Mr. Fuller , Mr. Secre¬ 
tary Conway, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Townshend, Mr. 
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir George Sa- 
villc. Sir. John Cavendish , Mr. Thomas 
Townshend, Jun. Mr. Onslow, Mr. Attorney 
General, Mr. Solicitor General, Mr. Cooper, 
Mr. Alderman Beck ford, Mr. Hussey, Mr. 
Prowse, Sir William Baker , Mr. Cooke , Sir 
William Meredith, Colonel Barre, and Mr. 
Burke, do prepare and bring in the same. 

A inotion was then made for an instruction 
to the said gentlemen, that they do make ef¬ 
fectual provision in the said bill,for preser- 
vmg the just rights and authority of the Brit¬ 
ish legislature, by direytingail votes and reso- 
lutions of the Assemblies of any of the Amen- 
can Colonies, repugnant to the said rights and 
authority,to be erased and txpung. d, before 
the saidrtpial shall take place in such re¬ 
spective Colonies. This brought on a new 
debate, but upon the question being put, it 
was carried in the negative by 240 to 133, chief¬ 
ly I suppose, on account of the next motion, 
then intended to be made, for it was presently 
moved and ordered, that a bill or bills be 
brought in upon the first and sixth of the 
aforesaid resolutions, and that Mr. Fuller, 
Mr ' ecretary Conway, Mr. Chancellor of tin 
Exchequer, Lord John Cavendish, Mr Thomas 
Townsend, Jun. Mr Onslow, Mr. Attorney 
General, Mr. Solicitor General, and Mr. 
Cooper, bring in the same. 

Then it w as ordered, that 2d,3d, 4th and 5th 
of the aforesaid resolutions, be humbly laid 
before his Majesty; and it was resolved to 
address his Majesty, humbly'to desire that In 
would be graciously pleased to give directions 
that the said r solutions, be transmitted to 
the governors of his Majesty’s Colonies and 
Plantations in America, to be by them com¬ 
municated to the Assemblies of their respec¬ 
tive governments. 

The house having now continued setting 
till after one o’clock in the morn.ng, of the 
25th, they adjourned till the next morning the 
26th, on which day Mr. Fuller presented to 
the house according to order, a bill “for the 
better securing the dependency of his Majes¬ 
ty’s dominions in America, upon the crown 
nnd parliament of Great-Bntain,” which 
bill was then read a first time, and ordered to 
be read a second time the next morning: and 
presenty afterwards Mr. Secretary Conway 
presented to the house, according to order, a 
bill to repeal an act made in the last session 
of Parliament, entitled. An act for granting 
and applying certain Stamp Duties, and 
other, lire, which bill was then read a first 


time, and ordered to be read a second time 
also the next morning. 

But next day, before either of these bills 
w as read a second time, there w as presented 
to the house, and read, a petition of the Mer¬ 
chants, traders, and Manufacturers of cutlery 
and other hard ware, of the town of Sheffield 
complaining of a great decay in their trade to 
A orth America, and praying relief; which 
petition was referred to the same committee 
that all the former had been refei red to, and 
without doubt had some effect upon the house 
with regard to the said two bills then depend¬ 
ing before them, both w hich were read that 
day a second time, and«. ommii ted to a commit¬ 
tee of ihe whole house; and both passed 
through the house of commons in the common 
course, and with such dispatch, that they 
were both sent to the Lords on the 4th of 
March. 

But in the house of Lord* both these bills 
w T ere vigorously' contested, for it must be con¬ 
fessed that if the words, (to make laws and 
statutes of, &c. be taken in the most extensive 
sense,they do seem to he a little inconsistent: 
However, the first of these two bills was op¬ 
posed only by a few of their lordships; but 
the last by a great number,and so vigourously, 
that it not only occasioned two long debates, 
but also two spirited protests. [See p. 86] 
And as the words (to make law s and statutes of, 
&c.) may be taken in such a confined sense as 
to exclude those statutes made for raising the 
particular and incidental giants of money', 
made by the commons of Great-Britain, ac¬ 
cepted of by the King, and consented to, 
though not advised, by the Lords, therefore 
those Lords who had opposed the first of these 
two bills did not, it seems think it necessary 
to have any pretest entered on the journals of 
that house, consequently to the history of 
these two bills, I have only to add, that the 
first was on the 13th returned to the House of 
Commons, with oniy one amendment, to 
which their lordships desired the concurrence 
of that house, which was taken into conside¬ 
ration and agreed to as soon as the messengers 
had withdrawn ; and Mr. Fuller was ordered 
to carry the bill to the Lords and acquaint 
them that the house had agreed to the amend¬ 
ment made by their lordships; and that on 
the 18th their lordships acquainted the house 
of commons by message, that they had agreed 
to the second without any amendment; and 
so ready was his Majesty to give satisfaction 
to his Colonies in America, though he was 
thereby required to give up all the money in¬ 
tended to be raised by the act, which w as 
thus to be repealed, that he came the very 
same day to the House of Lords, and gave his 
assent to these two bills,* among others that 
w ere then ready for the royal assent. 


*An art to repeal an act made in the last session of Parliament,intituled. An act fer grant, 
ing and applying certain stamp duties, aiid other duties, in the British colonies 
and plantations in America , towards further defray ing the expenses of defending, 
protecting, and securing the same ; and for amending such parts of the several acts 
of parliament relating to the trade and revenues of the said colonies and plantations 
as direct the manner of determining and recovering the penalties and forfeitures 
therein mentioned. 


W HEREAS an act was passed in the last Session of parliament, intituled, An act 
for granting and applying certain stamp dutiesand other duties, in the British 









Repeal of the Sta?np Act. 


From these acts the reader must perceive 
that there is no provision made in either of 
them, in pursuance of the aforesaid 6th reso¬ 
lution, and indeed no bill, though ordered, 
had as yet been presented, therefore, on the 
said 18th of March, after these two acts had 
received the royal assent, an instruction was 
ordered to the gentlemen who had been or¬ 
dered to prepare and bring in a bill, pursu¬ 
ant to the said 6th resolution, that they do 
make provision in the said bill, for making 


and void upon pcnjmcnt of certain sums of 
monei /.” 

Tins was the title of the bill when it was 
presented to the house, and it w as then read 
a first time, and ordered to be read a second 
time, which it was on the 25th, and commit¬ 
ted to a committee of the whole house for the 
9th of April; but in the mean time an objec¬ 
tion was raised to the bill as it then stood, that 
we had already by an act of that session, re¬ 
peal! d, wholly, absolutely, and uneondi- 


valid in law, all the writings, engrossings and tionally, the Stamp Duty act of the preceding 
printings, wrote, engrossed, or printed, in session; whereas by the bill then depending 
America, upon paper, vellum, or parchment, before the house, we were to enact that the 
not stamped according to law, under properjsaid act of the preceding session shall be re¬ 
restrictions. Mr. Fuller presented the bill pealed only in part and upon condition. 


the next day to the House, being then entitled 
“ a bill to indemnify persons who have incur¬ 
red, or may incur, penalties and forfeitures, 
by writing, engrossing, or printing, in his 
Majesty’s dominions in America, upon un¬ 
stamped paper, vellum, or parchment, con¬ 
trary to an act passed at the last session of 
parliament, for granting and applying cer¬ 
tain stamp duties, and other duties, in the 
British Colonies and Plantations in America; 
and for making good and valid all writings, 
engrossings, and printings, wrote, engrossed, 
or printed, or which shall be wrote, engrossed 
or printed upon unstamped paper, w hich by 
the said act w r ould have been, or shall be null 


I bis objection had so much weight, that 
the order for committing the bill was from 
time to time put off, until the 16th of May, 
on which clay, the bouse resolved itself in a 
committee of tfie whole house, on the said 
bill, went through the same with several 
amendments, and ordered the report to be 
received on the 22d, when the amendments 
were agreed to, and the bill ordered to be 
engrossed. 

On the 30tli it w as, according to order,read 
a third time, and a motion made to resolve, 
that the bill do pass, which after reading the 
abovementioned 6th resolution of the 24th of 
February, was agreed to, and as all restric- 


colonies and plantations in America , tow ards further defraying the expenses of defend¬ 
ing, protecting, and securing the same ; and for amending such parts of the several 
acts of parliament relating to the trade and revenues of the said colonies and planta¬ 
tions, as direct the manner of determining and rec vering the penalties and forfeitures 
therein mentioned : and whereas the cotitinuance of the said act would he attended 
with many inconveniencies, and may be productive of consequences greatly detrimental 
to the Commercial interests of these kingdoms; may it therefore please your most ex¬ 
cellent Majesty, that it may lie enacted ; and be it enacted by the King’s most excel¬ 
lent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal 
and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the 
same. That from and after the first day of May. one thousand seven hundred and sixty- 
six, the above-mentioned act, and the several matters and things therein contained, 
shall be, and is and are hereby repealed and made void to all intents and purposes 
whatsoever. 


An act for the better securing the dependency oj his Majestifs dominions in America 
upon the croxvn andparliament oj Great Britain. 

liyilEREAS several of the houses of representatives in his Majesty's colonics and 
» ’ plantations in America, have of late, against laic claimed tv themselves, or to the 
general assemblies of the same, the sole and exclusive right oj imposing duties and 
taxes upon his Majeety's subjects in the said colonies and plantation s ; and have , in 
pursuance ot such claim,passed certain votes , resolutions, and orders , derogatory to 
the legislative authority of parliament, and inconsistent with the dependency of the said 
colonies and plantations upon the crown o/’Great Britain : may it therefore please your 
most excellent Majesty, that it may bech c'ared ; and be it declared by the King’s most 
excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritua I and temporal, 
and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same. 
That the said colonies and plantations in America, have been, are, and of right ought 
to he, subordinate unto, and dtp ndrnt upon the imperial crown and parliament of 
Great Britain ; and that the King’s majesty by and with the advice and consent of the 
lords spiritual and temporal, and commons of Great Britain, in parliament assembled 
had, hath, and of right ought to have, full power and authority to make laws and 
statutes of sufficient force and validity to bind the colonies and people of America, sub¬ 
jects to the crown of Great Britain ) in all cases w hatsoever. 

II. And he it further declared and enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all reso¬ 
lutions, votes, orders, and proceedings, in any of the said colonies or plantations, 
whereby the power and authority of the parliament of Great Britain, to make laws 
and .statutes as aforesaid, is denied, or drawn into ques'ion. are, and are hereby <fh-. 
glared to be, utterly null and void to all intents aud purposes whatsoever. 




Examination of Dr. Franklin , Feb , 1766 . 77 


fiions and conditions for the payment of any 
money had been in the committee left out, it 
was resolved, that the title of the bill should 
be, "an act for indemnifying persons who 
have incurred certain penalties indicted by 
an act of the last session of Parliament, for 
granting certain Stamp Duties in the British 


Those for discharging the debt are to conti- 
nuetill 1772, and longer, ifthe debt should not 
be then all discharged. The others must al¬ 
ways continue. 

Was it not expected that the debt would 
have been sooner discharged ?—It was, when 
the peace was made with Franceand Spain— 


Colonies and Plantations in America;and for But a fresh war breaking out with the In 
making valid all instruments executed, or dians, a fresh load of debt w as incurred, and 
enrolled there, on unstamped paper, vellum, the taxes, of course, continued longer by a 
or parchmentAnd Mr. Fuller w as then new law. 

ordered tocarry the bill to the lords, and de- Are notall the people very able to paythose 


sire their concurrence; which their lordships 
were pleased to grant, without any amend¬ 
ment ; and on the Oth of June the bill receiv¬ 
ed the royal assent, 

It is unnecessary to give any abstract of 
this, as the substance of it will appearJfrom 
the resolution and instructions on which it 
was founded, and the amendment made by 
the committee, in leaving out the restrictions 
directed Dy the instruction, was not only a 
•right but a prudent amendment, for ifthe 
courts or .judges in America had attempted 
to carry the restrictions or conditions contain¬ 
ed in the first draught of the bill into execu¬ 
tion, it would have been a great grievance 
upon many innocent men,and might proba¬ 
bly have revived those disturbances which 
had been occasioned by the Stamp Duty Act, 
and intended to be extinguished by the re¬ 
peal of that act; consequently, if this amend¬ 
ment had not been made, we should have 
been in danger of defeating our own design; 
which show s the advantage we reap from our 
established forms in the passing of any r new 
1 aw. 

Thus I have given the history of the three 
fortunate hills which were brought m and 
passed in pursuance of the first resolutions 


the several papers laid before the House by 
lvis Majesty’s command, relative to the Stamp 
Duty Act, of the preceding session, and the 
disturbances therebvoccasioned in America. 


Examination of Dr. Franklin , before the 
House of Commons, Feb. 1766. 

When the bill to repeal the Stamp Act was 
before the Committee of the House of Com¬ 
mons, Dr. Benjamin Franklin was exami¬ 
ned at the bar of the House on the affairs of 
A meriea. The following is a copy of the ex¬ 
amination. 

0. What is your name, and place of abode ? 

A. Franklin, of Philadelphia. 

Q. Do the Americans pay any considera¬ 
ble”[axes among themselves ? 

A. Certainly many, and very heavy taxes 

O. What are the present taxes in Pennsyl¬ 
vania, laid by the laws of the colony ? 

A. There are taxes on all estates, real and 
personal, a poll-tax, a tax on all offices, prof s 
sions, trades and businesses, according to their 
profits; an excise on all wine, rum, and other 
spirits; and a duty often pounds per head on 
all negroes imported, with some other duties. 

For what purposes are those taxes laid?— 
For the support of the civii and military es¬ 
tablishment* of the country, end to discharge 
(the heavy debt contracted in the last war. 

How long are those taxes to continue ?— 

7* 


taxes ?—No. The frontier counties, all along 
the continent, have been frequently ravaged 
by the enemy, and greatly impoverished, are 
able to pay very little tax. And therefore, in 
consideration of their distresses, our late tax 
law s do expressly favour those counties, excu¬ 
sing the sufferers ; and I suppose the same is 
done in other gov ernments. 

Are not you concerned in the mangement 
of the post office in America ?—Yes. I am 
deputy post-master-general of North America. 

Don’t you think the distribution of stamps, 
by post, to all the inhabitants, very practica¬ 
ble, if there was no opposition ?—The posts 
only go along the sea-coasts; they do not, ex¬ 
cept in a few instances, go back into the coun¬ 
try; and if they did, sending for stamps by 
post would occasion an expence of postage, 
amounting, in many cases, to much more 
than that of the stamps themselves. 

Are you acquainted with Newfoundland ? 
—I never was there. 

Do you know w hether there are any post¬ 
roads on that island ?—I have heard that there 
are no roads at all; but that the communica¬ 
tion between one settlementand another is by 
sea only. 

Can you disperse the stamps by post in Cau- 


of the committee appointed to consider of ada ?—There is only a post between Montreal 


and Quebec. The inhabitants live so scat¬ 
tered and remote from each other, in that 
vast country, that posts cannot be supported 
among them,and therefore, they cannot get 
stamps per post. The English colonies too, 
along the frontiers, are very thinly settled. 

From the thinness of the back settlements, 
would not the Stamp Act be extremely incon¬ 
venient to the inhabitants, if executed?—To 
be sure it w'ould; as many of the inhabitants 
could not get stamps when they had occasion 
for them, w ithout taking long journeys, and 
spending perhaps three or four pounds, that 
the crown might get six-pence. 

Are not the colonies,from theircircumstan- 
ces, very able to pay the stamp duty ?— In my 
opinion,there isnot gold and silver enough in 
the colonies to pay th stamp duty for one year. 

Don’t you know that the money arising 
from the stamps was all to be laid out in 
America ?—I know it is appropriated by the 
act to the American service ; but it will be 
spent in the conquered colonies, where the 
soldiers are not in the colonies that pay it. 

Is there not a balance of trade due from the 
colonies w here the troops are posted, that 
will bring back the money to the old colo¬ 
nies?—I think not. I believe very iittle 
would come back. I know of no trade like¬ 
ly to bring it back. I think it woidd come 
from the colonies where it was spent directly 









78 


Examination of Dr. Franklin , Feb. 17G6. 


to England; for I have always observed, that You have said that you pay heavy taxes in 
in every colony the more plenty the means of Pennsylvania; what do they amount to ill 
remittance to England, the more goods are the pound ?—The tax on all estates, real and 
sent for, and the more trade with England personal, is eighteen pence in the pound, 
carried on. fully rated, and the tax on the profits of 

What number of white inhabitants do you trades and professions, with other taxes, do, I 
think there are in Pennsylvania ?—I suppose suppose, make full half a crown in the pound, 
there may be about 160,000. Do you know any thing of the rate of ex- 

What number of them are Quakers ?—Per- change in Pennsylvania, and whether it has 
haps a third. r fallen lately ?—It is commonly from one hun- 

What number of Germans ?—Perhaps an- di ed and seventy to one hundred and seven- 
otherthird; but I cannot speak with certainty, ty-five. 1 have heard that it has fallen lately 
Have any number of the Germans seen ser-from one hundred and seventy-five, to one 
vice, as soldiers, in Europe ?—Yes,—many of hundred and sixty two and a half; owing, I 
them, both in Europe and America. suppose, to their lessening their orders for 

Are they as much dissatisfied w'ith the stamp goods; and when their debts to this country 
duty as the English ?—Yes, and more; and are paid,I think the exchange will probably 
with reason, as their stamps are, in many be at par. 

cases, to be double. - i. Do not you think the people of America 

How t many white men do you suppose there would submit to pay the stamp duty, if it was 
are in North America ?—About 300,000, from moderated ?—No, never, unless compelled by 
sixteen to sixty years of age. force of arms. 

What may be the amount of one year’s im- Are not the taxes in Pennsylvania laid on 
ports into Pennsylvania from Britain?—I unequally , in order to burthen the English 
have been informed that our merchants com-trade; particularly the tax on professions 
pute the imports from Britain to be above and business ?—It is not more burthensome, 
500,000 pounds. in proportion, than the tax on lands. It is 

What may be the amount of the produce intended and supposed to take an equal pro¬ 
of your province exported to Britain ?—It portion of profits. 

must be small, as we produce little that is: How is the Assembly composed? Of what 
wanted in Britain. I suppose it cannot ex-kinds of people are the members; landhold- 
ceed 40,000?. lei’s or traders ?—It is composed of landhold- 

Howthendo you pay the balance ?—The ers, merchants, and artificers 
balance is paid by our produce carried to the; Are not the majority landholders ?— I be- 
West Indies (and sold in our own islands, or lieve they are. 

to the French, Spaniards, Danes, and Dutch) Do not they, as much as possible, shift the 
—by the same carried to other colonies tax off from the land, to ease that, and lay 
in North America, fas to New' England, the burthen heavier on trade ?—I have never 
Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Carolina and understood it so. I never heard such a thins 


Georgia)—by the same, carried to different 
parts of Europe, (as Spain, Portugal and Ita¬ 
ly.) In all which places we receive ei¬ 
ther money, bills of exchange, or commodi¬ 
ties that suit for remittance to Britain; which, 
together with all the profits on the industry 
Of our merchants and mariners, arising in 
those circuitous voyages, and the freights 
made by their ships, centre finally in Britain 
to discharge the balance and pay for British 
manufactures continually used in the pro¬ 
vinces, or sold to foreigners by our traders. 

Have you heard of any difficulties lately 
laid on the Spanish trade?—Yes, 1 have heard 
that it has been greatly' obstructed by some 
new regulations, and by the English men-of- 
war and cutters stationed all along the coast 
in America. 

DoyoU think it right that America should 
he protected by this country and pay no part 
of the expense?—That is not the case. The 
colonies raised, clothed and paid, during the 
last v.ar, near twenty-five thousand men, and 
spent many millions. 

Were you not reimbursed by Parliament? 


suggested. And indeed an attempt of that 
kind could answer no purpose. The mer¬ 
chant or trader is always skilled in figures, 
and ready with his pen and ink. If unequal 
burthens are laid on his trade, he puts an ad¬ 
ditional price on his goods; and the custom¬ 
ers, who are chiefly landholders, finally pay 
the greatest part, if not the w hole. 

What was the temper of America tow ards 
Great Britain before the year 1763?—The 
best in the world. They submitted willingly 
to the government of the crown, and paid, in 
all their courts, obedience to acts of parlia¬ 
ment. Numerous as the people are in the 
several old provinces, they cost you nothing 
in forts, citadels, garrisons or armies, to keep 
them in subjection. They were governed by 
this country at the expence only of a little 
pen, ink, and paper. They were led by a 
thread. They had not only a respect, but an 
affection for Great Britain, for its laws, its 
customs and manners, and even a fondness 
foi its fashions, that greatly increased the 
commerce. Natives of Britain were always 
treated with particular regard ; to be an Old 


—We were only reimbursed w'hat, in your England man was, of itself, a character or 
opinion, we had advanced beyond our pro-!some respect, and gave a kind of rank among 
portion, or beyond what might reasonably be us. ■ 

expected from us; and it was a very small And what is their temper now ?—O, very 
part of what we spent. Pennsylvania, injmuch altered. g 

particular, disbursed about 500,000/. and the; Did you ever hear the authorityofparlia- 
reimbursement, in the whole, did not exceed ment to make laws for America questioned 
tfp.jCOO'. (till lately ?—The authority of parliament was 




Examination of Dr. Franklin, Feb. 176G. 


79 


■allowed to be valid in all laws, except such as 
should lay internal taxes. It was never dis¬ 
puted in laying duties to regulate commerce. 

In what proportion hath population in¬ 
creased in America ?—I think the inhabitants 
of all the provinces together, taken at a me¬ 
dium, double in about 25 years. But their 
demand for British manufactures increase 
much faster, as the consumption is not merely 
in proportion to their numbers, but grows 
witn the growing abilities of the same num¬ 
bers to pay for them. In 1723, the w hole im¬ 
portation from Britain to Pennsylvania, was 
but about 15,OtO?- sterling; it is now near 
half a million. 

fii what light did the people of America use 
to consider the parliament of Great Britain ? 
They considered the parliament as the great 
bulwark and security of their liberties and 
privileges, and always spoke of it with the 


Was it an opinion in America before 17G3, 
that the parliament had no right to lay taxes 
and duties there?—I never heard any objec¬ 
tion to the right of laying duties to regulate 
commerce ; but a right to lay internal taxes 
was never supposed to be in parliament, as 
we are not represented there. 

On what do you found your opinion, that 
the people in America made any such dis¬ 
tinction ?—I know that whenever the subject 
has occurred in conversation where I have 
been present, it has appeared to be the opin¬ 
ion of every one, that we could not be taxed 
in a parliament where we were not repre¬ 
sented. But the payment of duties laid by 
act of Parliament, as regulation* of com¬ 
merce was never disputed. 

Btit can you name any act of assembly, or 
public act of any of your governments, that 
made such distinction?—I do not know that 


utmost respect and veneration. Arbitrary j there was any ; I think there w as never an cc- 
ministers, they thought, might possibly, at casion to make any such an act, till now that 
times, attempt tooppress them; but they re-!you have attempted to tax us; that has occasion- 
lied on it, that the parliament, on application ed resolutions of assembly, declaring the dis- 
would always give redress. They runember-jtinction, in which 1 think every assembly on 
ed with gratitude, a strong instance of llns.jthe comment,and every member in every as* 
when a bill was brought into parliament,jsembly, have been unanimous, 
with a clause to make royal instructions law s) What then could occasion conversations on 
in the colonies, which the House of Commons that subject before that time ?—There w as in 
would not pass, and it was thrown out. 11754 a proposition made (I think it came from 
And have they not still the same respeef hence) that in case of a wav, which was then 
for parliament ?—No ; it is greatly lessened, apprehended, the governors of the colonies 
To w hat causes is that owing ?—To a con-jshou d meet, and order the levying of troops, 
eurrenceof causes; the restraints lately laid Building of forts, and taking every other ne¬ 
on their trade, by which the bringing of forjeessary measure for the general defence; and 
eign gold and silver into the eolonits was pre-'shotfld draw on the treasury here for the sums 
vented; the prohibition of making paperjexpended, which were afterwards to be raised 
money among themselves and then demamlin the colonies by a general tax, to be laid on 
a new and heavy tax by stamps, taking'them by act of parliament. This occasioned 
away, at the same time, trials by juries, andja good deal cf conversation on the subject, 
refusing to receive and hear their humble and the general opinion was, that the parlia 4 
petitions. incut neither would nor could lay any taxon 

Don’t you think they would submit to the us, till we were duly represented in parlia- 
Stamp Act, if it was modified, the obnoxiousjnient, because it was not just, nor agreeable 
jiarts taken out, and the duty reduced to to the nature of an English constitution, 
some particulars, of small moment?—No;] Don’t you know there was a time in New- 
tliey will never submit to it. i York, when it was under consideration to 

What do you think is the reason that the to make an application to parliament to lay 
people of America increase faster than in|taxeson that colony, upon a deficiency arising 
England ?—Because they marry younger and from the assembly’s refusing or neglecting to 

raise the necessary supplies for the support of 
the civil government ?—I never heard of it. 
There was such an application under con- 


more generally. 

Why so?—Because any 7 young couple that 
are industrious, may easily obtain land of 
their ow n, on which they can raise a family. 

Are not the lower rank of people more at 
their ease in America than in Englad ?•— 
They may be so, if they are sober and dili¬ 
gent, as they are better paid for their labour. 

What is your opinion of a future tax. im 
posed on the same principle'with that of the 
Stamp Act, how would the Americans re¬ 
ceive it ?—Just as they do this. They w ould 
not pay it. 

Have not you heard of the resolution of 
this House and of the House of Lords, as¬ 
serting the right of parliament relating to 
America, including a power to tax the peo¬ 
ple there ?—Yes, I have heard of such resold 
tions. 

What will be the opinion of the Americans 
i those resolutions ? They will think them 


on 


unconstitutional and unjust-. 


sideralion in New-York ; and do you appre¬ 
hend they could suppose the right of parlia¬ 
ment to lay a tax in America whs only local, 
and confined to the case of a deficiency in a 
particular colony, by a refusal of its assembly 
to raise the necessary’ supplies?—They could 
not suppose such a case, as that the assembly 
would not raise the necessary supplies to sup¬ 
port its own government. An assembly that 
would refuse it must want common sense, 
which cannot be supposed. I think there 
was never any such case at New -York, and 
that it must be a misrepresentation, or the 
fact must be misunderstood. I know there 
have been some attempts, by ministerial in¬ 
structions from hence, to obige the assem¬ 
blies to settle permanent salaries on gover¬ 
nors, which they wisely refused to do; but I 
believe no assembly of New-York, or any 




so 


Exatninationof Dr. Franklin, Feb. 1766 . 


all spin and work for themselves, in their own 
houses. 

Can there be wool and manufacture enough 
in one or two years ?—In three years, I think 
there may. 

Does not the severity of the winter, in the 
northern colonies, occasion the wool to be of 
bad quality ?—No, the wool is very fine and 

good 


other colony, ever refused duly to support persisted in, will soon tnakea prodigious dif- 
government by proper allowances, from time Terence in the quantity of wool. And the es- 
to time.to public officers. Itablishing of great manufactories like those 

But in case ofa governor, acting by instruc-.m the clothing towns here, is not necessary 
tion, should call on an assembly to raise the as it is where the business is to be carried on 
necessary supplies,and the assembl) should for the purposes of trade. ^Ihe^ptople will 
refuse to do it, do you not think it would then 
be for the good of the people of the colony, 
ns well as necessary to government, that the 
parliament shou ld tax litem ?—I do not think 
it would be necessary. If an assembly could 
possibly be so absurd as to refuse raising the 
supplies requisite for the maintenance of gov¬ 
ernment among them, they could not long 

remain in such a situation; the disorders ana . . . . 

confusion occasioned bv it must soon bring) I» the more southern colonies as in \ lrgima 
them to reason " don’t 3 011 know hat w ool is coarse, and ofliy 

If it should not, ought not the right to be« kind of hair i —I don’t know it. 1 never 
in Great Britain of applying a remedv?— V heard it. Yet I have been sometimes in vir- 
r jo-])t onlv to be used in such a case, I should gnna. I cannot say I ever took particular 
have no objection to, supposing itto be used I notice of the wool there, hut I believe it is 
merely for the good of the people of the good though I cannot speak positively of it 

hut Virginia, and the colonies south of it, 
have less occasion for wool ; their winters are 
short, and not very severe, and they can very 
well clothe themselves with linen and cotton 
of their own raising for the rest of the year. 
Are not the people in the more northern 
fodder their sheep all the 
f the most northern colo¬ 
nies they may be obliged to do it some part of 
the winter. 

Considering the resolutions of parliament 
as to the right, do you think, if the Stamp 
Act is repealed, that the North Americans 
will be satisfied ?—I believe tke}'will. 

Why do you think so ?—I think the resolu¬ 
tions of right will give them very little con¬ 
cern, if they are never attempted to be car¬ 
ried into practice. The colonies will proba¬ 
bly consider themselves in the same situation, 
in that respect, with Ireland; they know 
you claim the same right with regard to Ire¬ 
land, but 30U never exercise it. And they 
may believe you never will exercise it in the 
colonies, any more than in Ireland, unless on 
some very extraordinary occasion. 

But who are to be the judges of that ex¬ 
traordinary occasion ? Is not the parlia¬ 
ment ?—Though the parliament may judge 
of the occasion, the people will think it 
can never exercise such right, till represen¬ 
tatives from the colonies are admitted into 
parliament, and that whenever the occa¬ 
sion arises, representatives will be ordered. 

Did you never hear that Maryland, dur¬ 
ing the last war, had refused to furnish a 


colour. 

But who is tojudgb of that. Britain or the 
colon} - ?—Those that feel can best judge. 

You sa} r the colonies have always submit¬ 
ted to external taxes, and object to the right 
of parliament only in laying internal taxes; 1 e . not V ie P^P 1 

now can you shew that there is any kind of colonies obliged to fc 
difference between the two taxes to the co'o- w^itei. In some of 


fsy on which they may be laid ?—I think the 
difference is very gr at. An external tax is 
a duty laid on commodities imported; that 
duty is added to the first cost, and other char¬ 
ges on the commodity, and when it is offered 
to sale, makesa part of the price. Ifthe peo 
pie do not like it at that price, they refuse it; 
the} - are not obliged to pay it. But an inter¬ 
nal tax is forced from the people without their 
consent, if not laid by their own representa¬ 
tives. The stamp act says we shall have no 
commerce, make no exchange of property 
with each other, neither purchase nor grant, 
nor recover debts; we shall neitb r marry nor 
make our wills, unless we pay such and such 
sums, and thus il ls intended to extort our 
monev from us, or ruin us by the consequen¬ 
ces of refusing to pay it. 

But supposing the internal taxor duty to 
be laid on the necessaries of life imported in¬ 
to your colony, W! 11 notthat be the same thing 
in its effects as an internal tax ?—I do not 
know a single article imported into the north 
ern colonies, but what they can either do 
without, or make themselves. 

Don’t you think cloth from England abso¬ 
lutely necessary to them ?—No, by no means 


management, they may very well supply 
themselves with all they want. 

Will it not take a long time to establish 
that manufacture among them; and must 
they not in the mean while suffer greatly ?— 
I think not. They have made a surprising 
progress already. And I am of opinion, that 
before their old clothes are wont out. they 
will have new ones of their own making. 

Can they possibly find wool enough in 
North America?—They have taker: steps to 
increase the wool. They entered into general 
•oombination to tat no more lamb, and very 
feav lambs were killed last year. This course 


absolutely necessary; with industry and good < l u,)t a towards the common defence ?—Ma- 

■ ryland has been much misrepresented in 
that matter. Mat - } land, to my knowledge, 
never refused to contribute, or grant aids 
to the crown. The assemblies every year 
during the war, voted considerable sums, 
and formed bills to raise them. The hills 
were, according to the constitution of that 
province, sent up to the council, crupper 
house, for concurrence, that they might be 
presented to the Gover or, in order to be 
enacted into laws. Unhappy disputes be¬ 
tween the two houses arising, from the de¬ 
fects of that constitution principally, ren¬ 
dered all the hills but one or two abortive* 







Examination of Dr. Franklin , Feb. 1766 . 


81 


The proprietary’s council rejected them. 
It is true, Maryland did not then contri¬ 
bute its proportion ; but it was, in my 
opinion, the fault of the government, not 
of the people. 

Was it not talked of in the other provin¬ 
ces, as a proper measure, to apply to par¬ 
liament to compel them?—I have heard 
such discourse ; but as it was well known 
the people were not to blame, no such ap¬ 
plication was ever made, nor any step tak¬ 
en towards it. 

Was it not proposed at a public meeting? 

— Not that I know of. 

Do you remember of the abolishing the 
paper currency in New England, by act of 
assembly ?—I do remember its being abol¬ 
ished in the Massachusetts Bay. 

Was not lieutenant-governor Hutchinson 
principally concerned in that transaction ? 

— I have heard so. 

Was it not at that time a very unpopular 
Jaw?—I believe it might, though I can say 
little about it, as I lived at a distance from 
that province. 

Was not the scarcity of gold and silver 
an argument used against abolishing the 
paper?—I suppose it was. 

What is the present opinion there of that 
law ? Is it as unpopular as it was at first ? 
—I think it is not. 

Have not instructions from hence been 
sometimes sent over to governois, highly 
oppressive, and unpolitical?—Yes. 

Have not some governors dispensed with 
them for that reason?—Yes I have heard so. 

Dnl the Americans ever dispute .he con¬ 
trolling power of parliament to regulate 
the commerce ?— No. 

Can any thing less than a military force 
carry the stamp act into execution?—-I do 
not see how a military force can be applied 
to that purpose. 

Why may it not ?—Suppose a military 
force suit into America, they will find no¬ 
body in anus ; what are they to do ? Th y 
cannot force a man to take stamps who 
chooses to do without them. They will 
not find a rebellion; they may indeed 
make one. 

If tiie act is not repealed, what do you 
think w ill be the consequences ?—-A total 
loss of the respect and affection the people 
of America beai to this country, and of all 
the commerce that depends on that respect 
and affection. 

How can the commerce be affected ?— 
You will find, that if the act is not repeal¬ 
ed, they will take very little of your man¬ 
ufactures in a short time. 

Is it in their power to do without them? 
—1 tiiink they' may very well do without 
them. 

Is it their interest not to take them?-.- 
The goods they take from Britain are ei¬ 
ther necessaries, mere conveniences, or su¬ 
perfluities. The first, as cloth, &c. with a 
little industry, they can make at -ome; the 
second they can do w.thout, till they art- 
able to provide them among themselves , 
gnd the last, which are much thegrealest 


part, they will strike off immediately. 
They are mere articles of fashion, pur¬ 
chase!! and consumed, because the fashion 
in a respected country ; hut will now be 
detested and rejected. The people have 
already struck off, by- general agreement* 
the use of all goods fashionable in mourn¬ 
ings, and many thousand pounds worth 
are sent back as unsaleable. 

Is it their interest to make cloth at home ? 
—I think they may at present get it cheaper 
from Britain; I mean of the same fineness 
and neatnessof workmanship > but when one 
considers other circumstances, the restraints 
on their trade, and the difficulty of making 
remittances, it is their interest to make every 
thing. 

Suppose an act of internal regulations con¬ 
nected with a tax. how would they receive 
it ?—I think it would be objected to. 

Then no regulation with a tax would be 
submitted to?—Their opinion is, that when 
aids to the crown are wanted, they are to be 
asked of the several assemblies, according to 
the old established usage, who w ill, as they 
always have done, grant them freely. And 
that their money ought not to be given aw ay, 
without tlnir consent, by persons at a dis¬ 
tance, unacquainted with the r circumstances 
and abilities. l’he granting aids to the 
crow n, is the only means they have of recom¬ 
mending themselves to theii sovereign, and 
[they think it extremely hard and unjust, that 
a body of men, in w hich they have no rep¬ 
resentatives, should make a merit to itself of 
giving and granting what is not its own, 
but theirs, and deprive them of a right they 
esteem of the utmost value anti importance, 
as it is the security of all their other lights. 

But is not the post-office, winch they have 
long n ei-ived, a tax as well as a regulation?— 
No; the money paid for the postage of a let¬ 
ter is not of the nature of a tax > it is merely a 
quantum meruit for h service done; no per¬ 
son is compelled to pay the money, if he does 
not ehuse to receive the service. A man may 
still,as before the act, send bis letter by a ser¬ 
vant, a special messenger, or a friend, if lie 
thinks it cheaper and safer. 

But do they not consider the regulations of 
the post-office, by the act of last year, as a 
tax ?—By the regulations of last year the rate 
of postage was generally abated near thirty 
per cent, through all America; they certainly 
cannot consider such abatement as a tax. 

If an excise was laid by parliament, which 
they might likewise avoid paying, by not 
consuming the articles excised, would they 
then not object to it ?— They w ould certainly 
object to it, as an excise is unconnected with 
any service done, and is merely an aid which 
they think ought to be asked ot them, and 
granted by them, if they are to pay it; and 
can be granted for them by no others what¬ 
soever, whom they have not unpowered for 
that purpose. 

You say they do not object to the right of 
parliament, in aying duties on goods to be 
paid on th ir importation; now, is there any 
kind of difference between a duty on the im¬ 
portation of goods, and an excise on their 
consumption r—Yes, a very material one an 









82 


Examination of Dr. Franklin , Feb. 17GG. 


excise, for the reasons I have just mentioned, 
they think you can have no right to lay with¬ 
in their country. But the sea is yours; you 
maintain, by your fleets, the safety oi navi 
gation in it, ami ke p it char of pirat s; >ou 
may ia\e therefore a natural and • qeutab 


they would he necessary. But the principal 
distributors, who were to have had a consid¬ 
erable profit on the whole, have not thought 
it worth while to continue in the office; and 
I think it impossible to find sub-distributors 
fit to be trusted, w ho, for the trifling profit 


light to some toll or duty on merchandizes that must come to their share, would incur 
carried through that part of your dominions,:the odium, and run the hazard that wouid 
towards defraying the expense you are at in attend it; and if they could be found, 1 think 


ships to maintain the saf ty of that carriage. 

Do* s this reasoning hold in the case of a 
duty iaid on the produce of their lands ex¬ 
ported? And would they not the >1 object to 
sin h a duty ?—If it tended to make the pro¬ 
duce so much dearer abroad as to lessen the 
demand for it, to be sure they would object 
to such a duty; not to your right of laying it 


it impracticable to protect the stamps in so 
many distant and remote places. 

Butin places where they could bep otect- 
ed, would ot the people use them, rather 
than remain in such a situ’tion, unabie to 
obtain any right,or recover by iaw, any dc bt ? 
— It is hard to say what they would do. lean 
only judge wliwt other people will think, and 


but they would complain of it as a burthen, I how they will ret, by what I feel within my 
and petition you to .ighten it. seif. I have a great many debts dm to me 

Is not the duty paid on tin tobacco export-in America,and I had rather they should re¬ 
ed a duty of thai kind?—That, I think, -isimain unrecoverable by any law, than submit 
only on tobacco carried coastwise from one!to the stamp act. They will be debts of hon- 
colony to another, and appropriated as a fund on 1 . It is my opinion the people will either 
for supporting the college at Williamsburg,jeontinue in that situation, or n.*d some way 


m Virginia. 

Have not the assemblies in the West Indies 
the same natural rights with those in North 
America ?—Undoubtedly. 

And is there not a tax laid there on their 
sugars exported ?—I am not much acquaint¬ 
ed with the West Indies, but the duty of 
four and a half per cent, on sugars exported, 
was, I believe, granted by their own assem¬ 
blies. 

How much is the poll-tax in your province 
laid on unmarried men?—It is, I think, fif¬ 
teen shillings, to be paid by every'single free¬ 
man, upwards of i.went)-one years old. 

What is the annual amount of all the taxes 
in Pennsylvania?—I suppose about 20,000 
pounds sterling. 

Supposing the stamp act continued and 
enforced, do you imagine that ill-humour will 
induce the Americans to give as much for 


to < xlricate themselves, perhaps by general 
agreeing to proceed in the courts w ithout the 
stamps. 

What do you think a sufficient military 
force to protect the distribution of the stamps 
in every part of America?—A very great 
force, I can’t say what, if the disposition of 


America is fora general resistance. 


worse manufactures of their own, and use 


What is the number of men in America 
able to bear arms, or of disciplined militia ?— 
There are, I suppose, at least. 

[JO'luestion objected to. He teithdreiv. Cal¬ 
led m again.] 

Is the American stamp act an equal tax on 
the country ?—I think not. 

Why so ?—The greatest part of the money 
must arise from law-suits for the recovery of 
debt-, and be paid by the lower sort of people, 
w ho were too poor easily to pay their debts, 
it is therefore a heavy tax on the poor, and a 


them preferrable to better of ours ?—Yes. I 
think so. People will pay as freely to gratify 
one passion as another, their resentment as 
their pride. 

YVould the people at Boston discontinue 
their trade ?—The merchants are a very small 
numbei compared with the body of the peo¬ 
ple, and must discontinue their trade if no¬ 
body will buy their goods. 

Wbatare the body of the people in the col¬ 
onies ?—They are farmers, husbandmen, or 
planters. 

Would they suffer the produce of their 
lands to rot?—No; but they would not raise 
so much. They would manufacture more 
and plough less, 


tax upon them for bring poor. 


But will not this increase of expence be a 
means of'lessening the number of law-suits ?— 
I think not; for as the costs all fall upon the 
debtor, and are to be paid by him, they w ould 
be no discouragement to the creditor to bring 
liis action. 

Would it not have the effect of excessive 
usury ?—Yes; as an oppression of the debtor. 

How many ships are there laden annually 
in North America with flax-seed for Ireland ? 
—I cannot speak to the number of ships, but 
I know, that in 1752 ten thousand hogsheads 
of flax-seed, each containing seven bushels, 
were exported from Philadelphia to Ireland. 
I suppose the quantity is greatly increased 
since that time, and it is understood, that the 


Would theydive without the administration exportation from New York is equal to that 


of justice in civil matters, and suffer all the,from Philadelphia, 
inconvenience of such a situation for "•’"I i.. „„.. .<• 


any! What becomes of the flax that grows with 
considerable time, rather than take the stampsltnat flax-seed ?—They manufacture some in- 
supposing the stamps were protected by a to coarse, and some into a middling kind of 
sufficient force, where every one might have'linen, 
n?—I think the supposition impractica-! Are 


them i 


ipposition impractica-! Arethere any slitting-mills in America?— 
ble, that the stamps should be so protected!I think there are three, but I believe only 
as that every om might have them. The act one at present employed. I suonose thev 


. . present employed. I suopose thev 

requires sub-distributors to be* appointed in will all be set to work, if the interruption of 
every county town, district, and village, and trade continues. 







Examination of Dr. Franklin , Feb. 1 706 . 




Arc there any fulling-mills there?—A great 
many. 

Did you never hear, that a great quantity 
or stockings were contracted i'or,fortht army, 
during the war, and manufactured in Phii 
adeiphia ?—I have heard so. 

It the stamp act skou.d be repealed, would 
not the Americans think they could ob ig. 
the parliament to reoeal every e tenia! ta,v 
law now in force ?— It is hard to answer ques¬ 
tions of what people at such a distance will 
think. 

But what do you imagine they' will think 
were the motives of repealing the act?—I 
suppose they will think, that it was repealed 
irom a conviction of its inexpediency; and 
they will rely upon it, that white the same in¬ 
expediency subsists, you will never attempt 
to make such another. 

What do you mean by its inexpediency? 
—I mean its inexpediency on several ac¬ 
counts; the poveity and inability of those 
who were to pay the tax; the general discon¬ 
tent it has occasioned; and the impractica¬ 
bility of enforcing it. 

If the Act should be repealed, and the le¬ 
gislature should shew its resentment to the 
opposers of the Stamp Act, would the colonies 
acquiesce in the authority of the legislatme ? 
What is your opinion they would do?—I 
don’t doubt at all, that it the legislature re¬ 


ly recommended to parliament, in the most 
honourable manner, for them. America has 
been greatly misrepresented and abused here 
in papers, and pamphlets, and speeches, as 
ungrateful, and unrtasonab e and unjust, in 
having put tins nation to immense expense 
for their defence and refusing to bear any 
part of that expense. The colonies raised, 
paid, and clothed, near 25,000 men during the 
last war, a number equal to those sent from 
Britain, ami far beyond their proportion ; 
they went deeply into debt in doing this, and 
ad their taxis and estates are mortgaged, for 
many years to coins, for discharging that debt. 
Gov rmnentheieat that time w as very sensi¬ 
ble of this 1 he colonies w ere recommended 
to parliament. Every year the King sent 
down to the House a written message to this 
purpose, 1 hat his Majesty,being highly sen¬ 
sible of the zeat and vigour with w hich lus 
faithful subjects in North America bad exert¬ 
ed themselves, in defence of his Majesty’s 
just rights and and possessions, recommended 
it to the House to take the same into consider¬ 
ation, and enable him to give them a proper 
compensation. You will find those rnessages 


on your own journals every .year of the w ar 
to the very last, and you did accordingly give 
200,000/ annually to the crown, to be distri¬ 
buted in such compensation to th. colonies. 
u I his is the strongest of all proofs that the col- 

pea! the Stamp Act, the colonies will acqui-'onies,far-frombeing umvil ingtobtarashare 
esce in the authority. loftlu burden, did exceed tli ir proportion, 

But if the legislature should think fit to as- lor if tin y had done less, nr had only equalled 
certain its right to lay taxes, by an act laying their proportion, there would have been no 
a smalt tax, contrary to their opinion, would room or reason for compensation. Indeed, 
they submit to pay the tax ?— I lieproce dings the ums reimbursed them, were by no means 
of the people in America have he. n consider- adt quale to the expence tney incurred he¬ 
ed too much together. The- proceedings of yond their proportion; but they never mur- 
the assemblies have been very different from mured at that; they esteem.-dtheii sovereign’s 
those ofthe mobs, and should bi distinguished approbation of their zeal and fidelity, and the 
as having no connection with each other approbation of this house, far beyond anv 
The assemblies have only peaceably resolved othi r kind of compensation ; therefore there 
what they take to be their rights; they have w as no occasion for this act. to force money 
not built a fort, raised a man, or provided a 
grain of ammunition, in order to such oppo¬ 
sition. The ring eaders of riots they think 
ought to be punished; they would punish 
them themselves, if they could. Every sober, 

sensible man would wish to see rioters puuisli-j wish to be consukivd. 
ed, as otherwise peaceable people have no »e- But suppose Great Britain should be enga- 
curity of person or estate. But as to an iuter-jged in a w ar in Europ ,would \orth_ Ameii 


from a willing people; tiny had not refused 
giving men i i r the purposes of the act; no 
requisition had been made; th ywereahvays 
willir.gattd ready to do what could be reasona¬ 
bly expected from them, and in this iiglitthey 


nai tax, how small soever laid by the 1 gis.a 
ture heir on the people there, w hile they have 
no representative in this legislature, I think 
it will never be submitted to— I hey w ill op¬ 
pose it to the last—They do not consider as at 


ca contribute to the support of it ?— I <!o 
think they would, as far as tin i circumstances 
would permit. 'I hey consider themselves as a 
part of the British empire, and as having one 
common interest with it; they may be looked 


all necessary for you to raise money on theimon here as foreigners, but they do not consider 
by your taxes, because they are, and always! themselves as such. They are zealous for the 
have been, ready to raise money by taxesihonour and prosperity of this nation, and 
among themselves, and to grant large sums while they are well used, will always he ready 
equal to their abilities, upon requisition from| to support it, as far as their little pow er goes, 
the crown— fhey have notonly granted equal In 1739 they w ere called upon to assist in the 

-. " * - expedition against Carthagepa,and they suit 

3,000 men to join your rmy. It is true Car- 
thagenais in A meric «, but as remote from the 
northern colonies as if it had been in Europe. 
They make no distinction of wars, as to their 
. . „ • — r- .. •. | vnow the ast 

as entered 
ake of the 

It w as according*, 'people of America. I think it is quite mis- 


to their abilities, but, during all the last war 
they granted far beyond their abilities, and 
beyond their proportion with this country, 
yon yourselves being judges, to the amount 
of many hundred thousand pounds, and this 


they did freely and rendilv, only on a sort of;duty of assisting in them. I know 
promise from the secretary of state, that iliwar is commonly spoken of lure a 
should be recommended to parliament to!into for (be defence, or for tim s-.i 


make them compensation. 








S4 Examination of Dr. Franklin, Feb. 1766. 


understood. It began about the limits be* tribes, when the colonies are become so 
tween Canada and Nova Scotia, about terri-jlous and so strong? There is not the least oc- 
tories to which the crown indeed laid claim, jcasion for it; they are very able to defend 
but were not claimed by any British colony; themselves. 

none of the lands had been granted to any| Do you say there were no more than 300 
colonist; we bad therefore no particular con-iregu'ar troops employed in the late Indian 
ceru or interest in that dispute. As to the war?—Not on the Ohio, or the frontiers of 
Ohio, the contest there began about your right Pennsylvania, which was the chief part of 
of trading in the Indian country, a right you the war that affected the colonies. There 
had by the treaty of Utrecht, which thej were garrisons at Niagara, Fort Detroit, and 
French infringed; they seized the trad rs those remote posts kept for the sake of your 
and their goods, which were your maimfac-jtrade; I did not reckon them, but I believe 
tures; they took a tort which a company of that on the whole, the number of Americans, 
your merchants, and their factors and corre- 01 provincial troops, employed in the war, 
spondents, had erected there to secure that was greater than that of the regulars. lain 
trade. Brad dock was sent with an army to not certain, but I think so. 
re-take that fort, (which was looked on here bo you think the assemblies have a right to 
as another encroachment on tin King’s ten i-levy n.onev on the subject there, to grant to 
lory) and to protect your trade. It was not the crow n?—I certainly think so ; they have 
till after his deft-at that the colonies were at- always done it. 

tacked They were before in perfect peace Are they acquainted w ith the declaration of 
with both French and Indians; ihe troops rights ? And do they know that, by that 
were not therefore sent for their defence, statute, money is not to be raised on the sub- 
Thetrade with the Indians, though carritd jecthut by consent of parliament?—They 
on in America, is not an American interest, are very well acquainted w ith it. 

The people of America are chielly farmers How then can they think they have a right 
and planters; scarce any thing that they raise to levy money for the crow n, or for any oth- 
or produce is an article of commerce with the er than for local purposes?—They under- 
Indians. The Indian trade is a British inte- stand that clause to relate to subjects only 
rest; it is carried on with British manufac-within the realm ; that no money can be lev- 
tures, for the profit of British merchants and ied on them for the crown, but by consent of 
manufacturers; therefore the war, as it com-parliament. The colonies are not supposed 
menced for the defence of territories of the to be within the realm; they have assemblies 
crown, the property of no American, and for of their own, which are their parliaments, 
the defence of a trade purely British, was and they are, in that respect, in the same situ- 
really a British wai—and yet the people of ation with Ireland. When money is to be 
America made no scruple of contributing tlieir 1 - 1 

utmost towards carrying it on, and bringing 
it to a happy conclusion. 

Do you think, then, that the taking posses¬ 
sion of the King’s territorial rights, and 
strengthening the frontiers, is not an Ameri¬ 
can interest?—Not particularly, but conjoint¬ 
ly a British and American interest. 

You will not deny that the preceding war, 
the war with Spain, w as entered into for the 
sake of America; was it not occasioned bj 


captures made in the American seas?—Yes. 
captures of ships carrying on the British 
trade there, with British manufactures. 

Was not the late war with the Indians, since 
the peace with France a war for America on¬ 
ly?—Yes ; it was more particularly for Amer¬ 
ica than the former, but it w:is rather a con¬ 
sequence or remains of the former war, the 
Indians not having been thoroughly pacified, 
and the Americans bore by much tlie greatest 
share of the expense. It was put an end to 
bj the army under General Boquet; there 
were not above 300 regulars in that army, and 
above 1,000 Pennsylvanians. 

Is it not nec ssary to send troops to Ameri¬ 
ca, to defend the Americans against the In¬ 
dians ?—No, by no means ; it never was ne¬ 
cessary. They defended themselves w hen they 
were but an handful, and tlie Indians much 
more numerous. They continually gained 
ground, and have driven the Indians over the 
mountains, without any troops sent to then- 
assistance from this country, and can it be 
thought necessary now to send troops for 
their defence from those diminished Indian 


raised for the crown upon the subject, in Ire¬ 
land, or in the colonies, the consent is given 
in the parliament of Irelend or in the assem¬ 
blies of the colonies They think the parlia¬ 
ment of Great Britain cannot properly give 
that consent till it has representatives from 
America; for the petition of right expressly 
says, it is to be by common consent in Parlia¬ 
ment, and the people of America have no 
representatives in parliament, to make a part 
of that common consent. 

If the stamp act should be repealed, and 
an act should pass ordering the assemblies of 
the Colonies to indemnify the sufferers by the 
riots, Would they obey it?—That is a ques¬ 
tion I cannot answer. 

Suppose the King should require tlie colo¬ 
nies to grant a revenue and the parliament 
should be against their doing it, do they 
think they can grant a revenue to tlie King 
without the const lit of the parliament of 
Great Britain ?—That is a deep question. As 
to my own opinion, I should think myself at 
liberty to do it, and should do it.if I liked the 
occasion. 

When money has been raised in the colo¬ 
nies, upon requisitions, has it not been grant¬ 
ed to the king?—Yes, always , hut the requi¬ 
sitions have generally been for some service 
expressed, as to raise, clothe, and pay troops, 
and not for money only, * ’ 

If the act should pass, requiring the Amer¬ 
ican assemblies to make compensation to the 
sufferers, and they should disobey it, and then 
the parliament, should, by another act, lav 
an internal tax; would they then obey it?—- 






Examination of Dr. 

ijlie people will pay no internal tax; and I 
think a . act to oblige the assemblies*,to make 
compensation is unucc ssary; for I am of 
Opinion that as soon as the present heats an 
abated, they will take the matter into consid¬ 
eration, ana if it is right to be done, they will 
do it ol themseives. 

Do not letters often come into the post offi¬ 
ces in America directed to some inland town 
where no post goes?—Yes. 

( an any private person take up those letters 
and ea ry t h. m as directed ?- Yes ; any friend 
of t i person may do it, paying the postage 
that has accru. d 

But must not he pay an additional postage 
for the distance tp such in-and town ?—;<>. 

t an the post-master answer delivering the 
lett ., without ly ing paid such additional 
postage ?—Certainly he can demand nothing, 
wh re he does no service. 

Suppose a person, bring far from home, 
finds a letter in the postoffice directed to him, 
and he lives in a place to which the post gen 
Crally goes, and the letter is directed to that 
place, wil the post master deliver him the 
letter, without his paying the postage receiv¬ 
able at that place to which the letter is direct¬ 
ed ?—Yes ; theoffice cannot demand postage, 
forletter it does not carry, or farther than 
it does carr) it. 

Are not ferry-men in America obliged, by 
act of parliament, to carry over the posts 
without pay ?—Yes. 

ts not this a tax on the ferry-men ?—They 
do not consider it as such, as they have an art- 
rantagefrom persons travelling with the post. 

If the stamp act should be repealed, and 
the crow n should make a requisition to the 
colonies for a sum of money would they grant 
it ?—ri believe they would. 

Why do you think so ?—I can speak for the 
colony I live in : I had it in instruction from 
t he assembly to assure the ministry, that as 
they always had done, so they should always 
think it their duty, to grant such aids to the 
crown as wer suitable to their circumstan¬ 
ces and abilities, whenever called Upon for 
that purpose, in the usual constitutional man¬ 
ner; and I had the honour of communicating 
this instruction to that honourable gentle 
man then minister. 

Would they do this for a British concern, 
as suppose a war in some part of Europ., that 
did not affect them ?—Yes, for any thing that 
Concerned the general interest. They con¬ 
sider themselves as part of the whole. 

What is the usual constitutional manner of 
calling on the colonies for aids ?—A letter 
from the Secretary of State. 

Is this all you mean ; a letter from the Sec¬ 
retary of State ?—I mean the usuill way of 
requisition, in a circular letter from the Sec- 
retary of State, by his majesty’s command, 
reciting the occasion, and recommending it 
to the colonies to grant such aids as became 
their loyalty, and were suitable to their abili¬ 
ties. 

Did the Secretary of State ever write for 
money for the crown ?—The requisitions hav 
been to raise, clothe, and pay men, which 
'cgpnot be done without money. 

voi« 8 


Franklin , Feb. 17^*6. 

Would they grant money alone, if called 
on ?—In my opinion they would, money as 
'veil as men, when they have money, or can 
procure it. 

If the parliament should repeal the Stamp 
Act, will i he assembly of Pennsylvania rescind 
their resolutions ?—1 think not. 

Before there was any thought of the Stamp 
Act, did they wish for a representation in par¬ 
liament ?—No. 

Don’t you kno\v that there is in the Penn¬ 
sylvania charter, an express reservation of the 
right of parliament to lay taxes there?—I 
know there is a clause in the charter, by 
which the king grants that he will levy no 
taxes on the inhabitants, unless it be with the 
consent of the assembly, or by act of parlia¬ 
ment. 

How theh could the assembly of Pennsyl¬ 
vania assert, that ; ayii.g a tax on them by the 
Stamp Aet. Was an infringement of their 
rights ?—They understand it thus: by the 
same charter^ and otherwise, they are entitled 
to all the* privileges and liberties of English¬ 
men ; they find in the great charters, and the 
petition and declaration of rights, that one of 
the privileges of English subjects is, that they 
are not to be taxed but by their common con¬ 
sent ; they have therefore relied upon it, from 
the first settlement of the province, that the 
parliament never w ou d, nor could, by colour 
of that clause in the charter, assume a right 
of taxing them, till it had qualified itself to 
exercise such right, by admitting representa¬ 
tives from the pe ople to be taxeiT, w ho ought 
to be a part of that common consent. 

Are there any w ords in the charter that justi¬ 
fy that construction ?—Tlie common rights of 
Englishmen, as declared by Magna Charta, 
and the Petition of Right, all justify it. 

Does the distinction between internal and 
external taxes exist in the words of the char¬ 
ter ?— No, I believe not. 

Then may they not, by the same interpreta¬ 
tion olyect to the parliament’s right of exter¬ 
nal taxation ?—They never have hithertoi 
Many arguments have been lately used here 
to show them that there is no difference, and 
that if you have no right to tax th< m internal¬ 
ly, you have none to tax them externally, or 
make any other law to bind them. At pre¬ 
sent they do no reason so; hut in time they 
may possibly be convinced by these argu¬ 
ments. 

Do not the resolutions of the Pennsylvania 
assembly say—all taxes ?—If they do, they 
mean only internal taxes; the same words 
have not always the same meaning here and 
in the colonies, fey taxes, they mean inter¬ 
nal taxes; by duties,they; mean customs; these 
are their ideas of the language. 

Have you not seen the resolutions of the 
Massachusetts feay assehihly ?—1 have. 

Do then not say that neither external nor 
internal taxes can he laid on them by parlia¬ 
ment ?—I don’t know that they do; I belieye 
not. 

If the same colony should say^ neither tax 
ndr imposition could be laid, does not 
that province hold the power of parliament 
can lay neither ?—I suppose that by the wold 





36 


Protest of Lords , March It, 1766. 


imposition, they do not intend to express clu*. What used to be the pride oi iHe Amc.it 
ties to be laid on goods imported, as regula- cans ?— To indulge in the fashions anu man - 
tions of commerce. tacturesof Great Britain. . . _ 

What can the colonies mean then by impo- What is now their pride ?—To wear i" ei ' 

sition as distinct from taxes?—1'hey may old clothes over again, till they can make new 

mean many things, as impressing of men, or ones.-Withdrew. 

of carriages, quartering troops oii private 


Protests of the minority in the House of 
Lords,against the Repeal of the American 
Stamp Act. 

March 11, 1766 .—The order of the day be¬ 
ing read for the second reading of the bin, 
entituled, “An Act to repeal an Act made in 

the last session of Parliament, entituled, An 


houses, and the like; there may be great im¬ 
positions that are not properly taxes. 

Is not the post office rate an internal fax 
laid by act of parliament ?—I have answered 
that. 

Are all parts of the colonies equally able to 
pay taxes ?—No, certainly ; the frontier parts, 
which have been ravaged by the enemy, are 

greatly disabled by that means, ami therefore, - -- —— ... 

in such cases, are usually favoured in our tax nies and Plantations in America, towards fur 
Jaws. ther defraying the expenses of defending, pro* 

Can we, at this distance, be competent tecting and securing the same, and for a mend- 
judges of what favours are necessary ?—l'he ing such parts ot the several acts of parua- 
parhament have supposed it, by claiming a ment relating to the Trade and Revenues ot 

---— 1 -*•— *- : T -■ i- ♦'- r...»——i «»•.—*~* : ons, as direct 

recovering the 
med.” 


Act for granting and applying ctitain Stamp 
Duties and other duties m the British Coio- 


right to make tax laws for America; I think the said Colonies and Plantations, 
it impossible. the manner of determining and reco’ 

Would the repeal of the Stamp Act be any 
discouragement of your manufactures ?—Will 
the people that have begun to manufacture 


termimngr 

penalties and forfeitures therein mentioi 
The said Bill was read a second time, and 
it being proposed to commit the bill, the 


decline it?—Yes, I think they will; especi- same was objected to. After along debate 
ally if, at the same time, the trade is opened thereupon, the question was put. Whether 
again, so that remittances can be easily made, the said hill shall be committed : It w as re- 
I have known several instances that make it. solved in the affirmative. Contents 73. Prqx- 
probable. In the war before last, tobacco ies 33, Total 105; Not Contents 61, Proxies 


being low, and making little remittance, the 
people of Virginia west generally into family 
manufactures. Afterwards, when tobacco 
bore a better price, they returned to the use 
of British manufactures. So fulling mills 


10, total 71 


Majority 34. 

Dissentient , 

1st, 13 ECAUSE, as this house has, in this' 
session, by several resolutions, most 
solemnly asserted and declared, First, “That 


were very much disused m the last war in the King’s Majesty, by and with the advice 
Pennsylvania, because bills were then plenty,! and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Tern* 
and remittances could easily be made to llri-j poral, and Commons of Great Britain, in Par- 
tain for English cloth and other goods. Iliament assembled, had, hath, and of fight 

If the Stamp Act should be repealed, would ought to have, lull power and authority to 
it induce the assemblies of America to ac-| make laws and statutes, of sufficient force 
knowledge the right of parliament to tax! and validity to bind the colonies and people 
them, and would they erase their resolutions? of America, subjects of the Crow n of Great 


»—No, never, 

Is there no means of obliging them to erase 
those resolutions ?—None, that I know of; 


Britain, in ail cases whatsoever.” Secondly, 
fliat tumults and insurrections of the most 
dangerous nature have been raised and car- 


tliey will never do it, unless compelled by ried on in several of the North American 

force of arms. ” ’ ' * "— -■ - J 

Is there a power on earth that can force 
them to erase them ?—No power, how great 


soever, can force men to change their opin¬ 
ions 

Do they consider the post office as a tax, or 
as a regulation ?— Not as a tax, but as a regu¬ 
lation and conveniency; every assembly en- 


Colonies. in open defiance of the power and 
dignity of his Majesty’s Government, and in 
manifest violation of the laws and legislative 
authority of this kingdom; Thirdly. “That 
the said tumults and insurrections have been 
encouraged and inflamed by sundry votes 
and resolutions passed in several of the assem¬ 
blies of the said provinces, derogatory to the 


eouraged it, and supported it in its infancy, honour of his Majesty’s government,and de- 
by grants of money, which they would notjstructive of the legal and constitutional de- 
otherwise liave done; and the people have pendency of the said colonies, on the itnpe- 
ahvays paid the postage. rial crown and parliament of Great Britain:” 

When did you receive the instructions you Which resolutions were founded on a full ex- 
mentioned ? —I brought them with me, when animation of the papers on our table, mani- 
I came to England, about 15 months since, festingadenial of the legislative authority of' 

When did you communicate that instrue- the crown and parliament ot Great Britain to 
£iou to the minister ?—Soon after my arrival ;i impost duties and taxes on onr North Ameri- 
Whiie the stamping ot America was under can colonies; and a criminal resistance there 


Consideration, and before the bill was brought' made to the execution of the commercial and 
in- . other regulations of the Stamp Act, and of 

Would it be most for the interest of Gr6at other acts of parliament: Wcareof opinion, 
Britain, to employ the* hands of Virginia in that the total repealing of that law, especially 
iobacco^ or in manufactures ?—In tobacco, to —’ *- -— • *• - 


while such resistance continues, would (as 
governor Bernard says is their intention; 









Protest of Lords, March 1 1, 1 706. 


S' 


'■‘make the authority of Great Britain con- been laid before this house from the Commis> 
temptible hereafterand that such a sub-sioners of Trade and Piahtalions, thatof the 
mission of king, lords, and commons, under debt contracted by those colonies in the last 
such circumstances, in so strange and un- war,above 1,755,000/. has already been dis- 
Jieard of a contest, would, in effect,surrender charged, during the course of three years 
their antient, unalienable lights of supreme only, by the funds provided for that purpose 
jurisdiction, and give them exclusively to the in the several provinces, and the much great* 

mil tn 1’/ t 1 11 O 1 1 1 IX I • f \ f ■ 1 tl rn n 1 1 11 rv I Inin h t ir>l i f.ia .. n f A 1 .. . ___ __ _ _1__. . .. 1.1 M l. 



prerogative to bestow; as they are insep ra- that the bounties and advantages given to 
bletrom the three estates of the realm assem- them by parliament in 1764 and 1765, and tlie 
bled in parliament. _ [duties thereby lost to Great Britain for their 

2dlv, Because the law which the bill now service and in order to enable them more ea- 
jimposes to repeal, was passed in the other sily to pay the tax, must necessarily amount. 


house with very little opposition, and in this 
without one dissentient voice, during tiie last 


in a few years, to a far greater sum than the 
produce thereof. It is also evident that such 


session of parliament, which we presume, it produce b ing wholly appropriated to the 
it bad been wholly and fundamentally wrong, payment of the army maintained by this 
could not possibly have happened; as the; kingdom in our colonies, at *iie vast expense 
matter of it is so important, and as theinten- of almost a shilling in the pound land tax, 
tion of bringing it in bad been communicat- annually remitted by us for their special de¬ 
ed to the commons, by the first commission-fence and protection ; not only no money 
erof the treasury, the year befoie, and a res- would have been actually drawn by it out 
olutiou, relating and preparatory to i , was of that country, but the ease given by it to 
agreed to in that bouse, without any division, the people of Great Britain, who are laboring 
3d iy. Because, if any particular parts of under a debt of seventy millions, contracted 
that law, the principle of which has been ex-! by them to support a very dangerous war, en- 
pevienced and submitted to jn this country, tend into for the interest and security of 
without repining, for near a century past, hadj those colonies, would have redounded to the 
been found liable to just and reasonable ob i benefit of the colonies themselves in their 
jections,they might have been altered by a’own immediate safety, by contributing to de¬ 
bill to explain ami amend it, without repeal-j liver them from the necessary expense, which 
ing the whole, tnd, if any such bill bad! many of them have hitherto always borne m 
been sent to us by the commons, we should gttavding their fiontiers against the savage 
have thought it our duty to have given it a{ Indians. 

most serious consideration, with a w um de- 6thly, Because, not only the right, but the 
sire of relieving our countryme in Americ expediency and necessity of tlie supreme le- 
from any grievance or hardship; uni wuh gisiature's exerting its authority to lay a gen- 
proper care to enforce their submission and oral tax on our .merican colonies, whenever 
obedience to the law so amended, and to tin the wants of the public make it fitting and 
whole legislative authority of Great Britain, reasonable that all the provinces should con- 
vvithout any reserve or distinction whatso-,tribute in a proportion to the defence of the 
ever. whole, appear to us undeniable, from these 

4thly, Because it appeal’s to us, that a most considerations: First, That every province 
essential branch of that authority, the power being st parate and independent on the oth- 
of taxation, cannot be properly, equitably, or ers, and having no common council impow- 
impaitially exercised, if it does not extend it- ered by the constitution of the colonies to act 
seif to ail the members <>f the state in pro- for all, or bind all,such a tax cannot regular- 
portion to their respective abilities ; butsuf ly, or without infinite difficulty, be imposed 
fers a part to be exempt from a due shave of upon them at any time, even for their im- 
those burthens which the public exigt neies mediate defence dr protection, by their own 
require to be imposed upon the whole; a|provincial assemblies; but requires the in- 
partialitv w hich is tiirectly and manifestly re- tervention and superintending pow er of the 


pugnant to the trust reposed by the people in 
every legislature, and destructive of that con¬ 
fidence on which all government is founded. 

5tlily. Bee use, tlie ability of our North 
American colonies to bear w ithout inconve- 
nieney the proportion laid on them by the 
Stamp Act of last year, appears to us most 
unquestionable, for the following reasons . 
First, That the estimated produce of this 
tax, amounting to sixty thousand pounds per 
annum, if divided amongst twelve hundred 
thousand people (being little more than one 
half of the subjects of the crown in North 
America) would beonlyonexhillingper head 
a year ; which is but a third of the wages 
usually paid to every labourer or manufactur¬ 
er there for one day’, labour. Si com) y, 
That it appeal’s by the accounts that have 


parliament of Great Britain. Secondly, That 
in looking forwards to tlie possible contingen¬ 
cy of a new war, a contingency perhaps not 
far remote, the prospect of the burthens, 
which the ge ntry and people of this kingdom 
must then sustain, in addition to those whic h 
now lies so heavy upon them, is so melan¬ 
choly and dreadful, that we cannot hut feel it 
a most indispensable duty to ease them as 
much as is possible, by a due and moderate 
exertion of that great right which the consti¬ 
tution of this realm has vested in the parlia¬ 
ment, to provide for the safety of all, by a 
proportionate charge upon all, equally and 
indifferently laid AVe likewise apprehend, 
that a partial exemption of our colonies from 
any exercise of this right by the British le> 
gislature, would be thought so invidious and 







a a 


Protest of Lords, March 11, 1766. 


99 unjust to the other subjects of the crown of 
6reat Britain, as to alienate the hearts of 
these from their countrymen residing in 
America, to the great detriment of th latter, 
who have on many occasions received, and 
may again want, assistance, from the gene¬ 
rous warmth of their affection. 

7thly, Because the reasons assigned in the 
ublic resolutions of the provincial assem- 
ies, in the North American colonies, for 
their disobeying the Stamp Act, viz. “ That 


gregtly promote the contagion of a most dan¬ 
gerous doctrine, destructive to all govern-* 
ment, which lias spread itself over all our 
North American colonies, that the obedience 
of the subject is not due to the laws and legis¬ 
lature of the realm, farther than lie in bis 
private judgment shall-think it conformable 
to the ideas he has formed of a free constitu¬ 
tion. 

9ihly, Because, we think it no essential 
guard,or security, against this danger, that 


they are not represented in the Parliament of. the parliament has declared in the resolutions 
Great Britain, extends to all other laws, of,of both houses, passed during this session, and 
what nature soever, which that parliament!now reduced into a bill. That such notions 
has enacted, or shall enact, to bind them injare ill founded; as men will always look more 


to deeds than wotds, and may therefore in¬ 
cline to believe, that the insurrections in our 
colonies, excited by these notions, have so 
far proved successful, as to attain the very 


times to come, and must, (if admitted) set 
them absolutely free from any obedience to 
the power of the British legislature.^ We 

likewise observ*, that in a letter to Mr. Secre- _ _ 

Ury Conway, dated the 12th of October, ,1765; point, at which they aimed, the immediate 
the commander in chief of his Majesty’s for-repeal of the Stamp Act, without any jire- 
ces in North America has declared his opin-'riou* submission on thepaitof the colonies, 
ion, “ That the question is not of the inexpe- the legislature lias in fact submitted to th* ib, 
diencyof the Stamp Act, or of the inability land lias only more grievous, y injured its own 
of the colonies to pay the tax; but that itldigmty and authority, by verbally asserting 
is unconstitutional and contrary to their'that right, which it substantially y ields tip to 
rights, supporting the independency of the their opposition. The reasons assigned for 
provinces, and not subject to the legislative this concession render it still more alarming, 
power of Great Britain.” It is moreover af-|as they arise from an illegal and hostile corn- 
firmed, in a letter to Mr. Conway, dated 7tbibination of the people of America, to distress 
November,' 4 That the people in gential areai.d starve our manufacturers, and to withhold 
averse to taxes of any kmd ; and that the mer-jfrom our merchants the payment < f their just 
chants of that place think they have a right'debts: the former of w hich measures has only 
to every freedom eftrade which the subjects been practised in open war between two 
of Great Britain now enjoy.”' This opinion states; and the latter, we he'ieve, not even in 
of theirs strikes directly at the Act of Naviga- that situation, either by th< public or by mr- 
tion, and other subsequent laws, which from dh idtials,among the civilized nations of Eu- 
tiir.e to time have been made in the w ise po:i- rope, in modern times. If this unprecedenfr- 
cyof that act; and should they ever he 11 -td plan of intimidation shall n.cc i v .u. suc- 
couraged to procure for themselves that abso-jeess, it is easy to foresee, that th* practic< of 
lute freedom of trade, which they appear tojit for other and still greater objects will fre- 
desiie,our plantations would become, not on-jqmntly he renewed, and our manufacturers 
ly of no benefit, but in the highest degree pie- and merchants reduced to the like, and more 
judicial to the commerce and welfare of their! permanent distress: we cannot therefore but 
mother country ; nor is it easy to conceive a wish, that some more eligible methi d, eonsis- 
greater encouragement, than the repealing'tent with their future safety and our dignity, 
of a law, opposed by them on such principles, had been taken by parliament, to shew our 
and w ith so much contempt of the sovereign- tender concern and compassion for their suf¬ 
ferings, and to discourage any other such un¬ 
warrantable attempts; w hich we are fully per¬ 
suaded would have been very practicable, 
with due care and attention, and at an ex¬ 
pence very inferior to the importance of the 
object. 

Lastly, Because w e are convinced from the 
unanimous testimony of the governors, and 
other officers of the crow n in America, that 
if, by a most unhappy delay and neglect to 
provide for the due execution of the law, and 
arm the government there with proper orders, 
and powers, repeatedly called foi in vain, 
these disturbances had not been continued aiuf. 
inti eased, they might easily have been quiet- 
td before they had attained to any dangerous 
height; and we cannot, without feeling the 
most lively sense of grief and indignation, 
hear arguments drawn from the progress of 
evils, which should and might have been stop¬ 
ped in their first and feeble beginnings, used 
for the still greater evil of sacrificing to a pre*- 
sent relief the highest permanent interests 
andthewhcle majesty, power, and reputa* 


ty of the British legislature. 

8thly, Because, the appearance of weak¬ 
ness and timidity in the government and par¬ 
liament of this kingdom, which a concession, 
of this nature may too probably carry with it 
aas a manifest tendency to draw on further 
insult . and by lessening the respect of all his 
Majesty’s subjects to the dignity of the crown, 
and authority of his laws, throw the whole 
British empire into a miserable state of con¬ 
fusion and anarchy , with which it seems by 
many symptoms, to be dangerously threaten 
ed; and this is more to lit feared, as the plea 
of our North American colonies, that, no* 
being represented in the parliament of Great 
Britain, they ought not to pay taxes imposed 
or levied upon them by the authority there 
of, may by the same reasoning be extended to 
all persons in this island, who do not actually 
vot; for members of parliament; nor can w 
help apprehending, that the opinion of sonu 
countenance being given to such notions by 
ttye legislature itself, in consenting to this 
hill far the repeal of the Stamp Act, m»v 





Protest of Lordsy March 17, 1766. 


89 


tiou of government: This afflicts us the same was objected to. After some debate 
more deeply, because it appears from many ' 
letters, that this law, if properly supported 
by government, svouid from the peculiar cir¬ 
cumstances attending the disobedience to it, 
execute itself without bloodshed. And it is 
said in one of the letters to Mr. Secretary 
Conway , “ That the principal view is to inti¬ 
midate the parliament; but that if itbe thought 
prudent to enforce their authority, the peo¬ 
ple dare not oppose a vigorous resolution of 
the parliament of Great Britain.” That 
vigorous resolution has not yet been found in 
the parliament; and we greatly fear, that the 
want of it will certainly produce one of these 
two fatal consequences; either that the repeal 
of this law will m effect annul and abrogate 
all other laws and statutes relating to our col¬ 
onies, and particularly the acts that restrain 
or limit their commerce, of which they are 
most impatient; or, if we should hereafter 
attempt to enforce the execution of those law s 
against their will, and by virtue of an authori¬ 
ty, which they have dared to insult with im¬ 
punity and success, that endeavour will bring 
upon us all those evils and inconveniences, to 
the tear of which w e now sacrifice the sove¬ 
reignty of the realm ;and this at a time when 
the strength of our colonies, as well as their 
desire of a total independence on the legisia- 
tureand government of their mother country, 


thereupon, the question was put, Whether 
the said bill shall pass: It was resolved in 
the affirmative. 

Dissentient , 

1 st, BECAUSE we think that the Decla- ■ 
ratory Bill we passed last week, 
cannot possibly obviate the growing mischiefs 
in America, where it may seem calculated 
only to deceive the people of Great Britain, 
by holding forth a delusive and nugatory af- 
fi nuance of the legislative right of this king¬ 
dom, w hilst the enacting part of it does no 
more than abrogate the resolutions of the 
house of representatives in the North Ameri¬ 
can colonies, which have not in themselves 
the least colour of authority ; and declares 
that, which is apparently and certainly crimi¬ 
nal, only null and void. 

2 dly, Because the particular objections 
which have been made to the Stamp Act in 
North America, and which have been adopt¬ 
ed in the course of the debates upon this bill 
for repealing it, are, in fact contradicted by 
undeniable evidence upon our table: it hav¬ 
ing been urged, first, that all the money to be 
collected by this tax was to be annually re¬ 
mitted hither, and that the North American 
colonies would thereby be drained of all their 
specie; and, secondly, that the institution of 


may e greatly augmented, and when the vice-admiralty courts in those colonies, for 


circumstances and dispositions of other pow 
ers of Europe, may render the contest far more 
dangerous and formidable to this kingdom. 

Scardsdale, 

Lyttieton, 

Dunk Haililax, 
Eghngtoun, 

Suffolk & Berkshire, 
Abercorn, 

Vere, 

Trevor, 

Thomas Bristol, 
Ferrers, 

Grosvenor, 

Townshend, 

Dudley a«d Ward, 
Charies Carlisle, 

Powis, 

Hyde. 


Bedford, 

Co - entry, 

Bridgewater, 

'JTemp;e, 

Buckingham, 

Wentworth, 

Sandwich, 

Bolingbroke, 

Man borough, 

W. Gloucester, 

Kcr, 

Leigh, 

Bangor, 

Waldegrave, 

Ayiesford, 

Gower, 

Weymouth, 


the recovery of penalties upon revenue laws 
without juries,isa novel practice, by means 
of which his Majesty’s subjects, in those do-s. 
minions, “would be deprived of one of their 
most valuable liberties, trials by juries, and 
in this respect distinguished from their fellow 
subjects in Great Britain ; and wouid like¬ 
wise be liable to the greatest inconvenience, 
vexation, and injustice, through the option 
left to any prosecutor to call them from one 
end of that extensive continent to the other ; 
and through the temptation to the judge., to 
condemn rather than to acquit, from his being 
paid by poundage of the condemnation 
money:” whereas, with regard to the first of 
these objections, it appears, by the minute of 
the late board of treasury laid before this 
house, and dated on the 9th day of July last, 
that the fullest directions had been sent to the 
several officers of the revenue, “ that in order 
to obviate the inconvenience of bringing into 
this kingdom the money to be raised by the 
Stamp duties, all theproduceof the American 
duties arising or to arise, by virtue of any Brit¬ 
ish act of parliament, should fiomtime to 
time, be paid to the deputy paymaster in 
America to def: ay the subsistence of the troops 
and any military expenses incurred inthecol- 
nies ” and, w ith regard to the second objection,, 
it is manifest, from sundry acts of parliament, 


Die Luna;, 17 Martily 1766. 

The Order of the Day being read for the 
third reading of the Bill, entituled, “an Act 
to repeal an act made in the last session of 
Parliament,” entituled. “ an Act for granting 
and applying certain Stamp Duties, and oth 

ei Duties in the British Colonies and Plan- .. . . . - ■ 

tationsin America, tow ards further defray- that a jurisdiction has been assigned to the 
jug the Expences of defending, protecting,[judges of those courts, lor the recovery of pe- 
and securing the same, and for amendingfnalties upon the laws or revenue,and of trade, 
such parts of theseveral Acts of Parliamentjvvithout juries,for near a century past,from 
relating to the Trade and Revenue of the said the considerat ion (as we apprehend; that, m 
Colonies and Plantations, as direct the maii-isome of the colonies they are the only judges 
nerof determining and recovering the Penal- not elected by the people: and so far it is from, 
ties and Forfeitures therein mentioned.” being true, that the subjects in • orth Ameri- 
Then the said bill was read a third time, ca, bj being deprived, m these cases, oftnals 
37 id jt being proposed to pass the ill } the^by juries, were, in that respect, distinguished 

8* 








90 


Protest of Lords, March 17, 1760,. 


fiom their fellow subjects in '.Great Britain; 
that, in this very instance of the Stamp duties 
the penalties, which by the American Stamp 
Act were made recoverable without a jury 
before a judge of the Vice admiralty court 
are, by the laws now in force for collecting 
the Stamp duties in Great Britain, recovtra 


the peace, with the like powers.in both cases 
which we earnestly wish were not still more 
necessary, for the collection of the public 
revenue in America than in Great- Britain ; 
and which we should be most desirous, if pos¬ 
sible, to alleviate in both countries. With 
this view, and to take away ali just occasion 
for discontent, we were very glad to find, by 
the representation from the late commission¬ 
ers of the treasury to his Majesty in council, 
dated on the 4th of July last, that the strictest 
attention had been given by that board, to 
prevent the inconvenience and injustice 
above mentioned, by a plan to establish three 
different courts of Vic.' admiralty at the most 


greater part of the governors injNortb Anterir 
ea, and of inaiiy of the most intelligent and 
respectable persons in tln.se provinces, for 
sometime af erthisact was passed,is evident, 
bi-yond a doubt,from the letters of the former, 
now upon our table,and from the 1 atter hav¬ 
ing applied for, and accepted the office of 


ble also without a jury, before two justices of distributors of the stamps, under that act. 


which they certainly would not have dono, 
and thereby have exposed their lives and for-- 
tunes to the violence and outrages which they 
have since undergone, if they had then 
thought the success of this measure in any 
degree precarious: nor have we heard of any 
impracticability attending this law in Jamai¬ 
ca and Barbadoes, and some other of the 
West India Islands, or in those of our colonies 
in North- A merica, w here it has been executed. 

4thlv, Because a precedent of the two 
houses of parliament lending their power*., 
from motives of fear or impatience under a 
present uneasiness, to overturn in one month 
a plan of measures undertaken with their 


convenient places, with proper districts an-warmest approbation and concurrence, after, 
nexed to each ; and to give the judges suffi- the most mature deliberation of two years 
eient and honourable salaries in lieu of all together for the improvement of our revenue 
poundage and fees whatsoever. But we can-and the relief of- oar people, will effectually 
not observe, without the highest concern and discourageall officers of the crown in Ameri- 
surprise, that this representation, founded;ca from doing their duty, and executing the 
upon a clause inserted in the Stamp Act for laws ofthis kingdom; and is enough to deter 
this very purpose, and expressly calculated future ministers, in any circumstances of dis- 
to relieve^ his Majesty’s subjects in North tress or danger to theircountry ,fiom opposing 
America from many unnecessary hardships their fortitude and zeal for the service of the 
and oppressions, to which they are now liable public, to strong combinations of private and 
by many other laws, still subsisting, should particular interests, to the clamour of multi- 
’ . i i or to the malice of faction; which must^ 


be totally disregarded for several months, and 
lie suffered to remain unexecuted in every 
part of it, even to this day ; and that no no¬ 
tice whatever should be taken, in any of the 
dispatches from the present administration to 
the governors of the colonies in Nprth Ameri¬ 
ca, of the timely care which had been employ¬ 
ed to obviate the ob|ections raised on both 
those heads; especially as it is notorious, that 
the measures to be pursued, in consequence 
of that minute and representation, had been 
fully opened and approved in parliament, at 
tin time when the Stamp Act was proposed; 
and as the tota neglect of it has given occa¬ 
sion to great clamour and dissatisfaction in 
the colonies. We cannot help farther observ¬ 
ing that as the Stamp Act was not to take 
place til! the 1st at November, if the parlia- 

,.j i .. • . rn ,j na , 

that 

.... the 

merchants and manufacturers here from ail 
the difficulties and distr. ss to which they have 
bee;;, for so many months, exposed: 
would tlie disorders in America, where all 
government is prostrate,have risen to so great 
a height, or taken so deep a root. 

3diy, Because the argument which has 
■been used in favourof this hill of repeal, that 
the experiment of the Stamp Act lets I teen 
trii d, and has failed,is extremely ill-founded, 
tjs it manifestly appears from the w holetenoi 
of the papers laid before us, that if this expe- 
jripnent had been properly tried with the same 
zeal for its success with which it was first pre¬ 
ssed, it would not have failed in any of the 
felonies: and that this was the opinion of the 


place nit uie isi »i iNovember, it the pa 
ment had been called early, their d term 
lions either for enforcing or repealing 
law, would;, probably, have delivered 


necessarily bring on such a weakness and pu- 
sillanimit) in the administration of govern¬ 
ment, as. will soon end in the dow nfall and 
ruin of the state. 

Lastly, Because the repeal of this law, 
under the present circumstances, will, we 
fear, not only surrender the honour anil essen¬ 
tial interests of the kingdom now and for 
ever, both at home and abroad, but will also 
deeply affect the fundamental principles of 
our constitution: for if we pass this bill, 
against our opinion, from the threats and 
compu sion publicly avowed in our colonies, 
and e<.forced by the most unjustifiable mcau 
within Great Britain, we disclaim that legis¬ 
lative authoritj over the subjects, which we 
own ourselves unable to maintain. If we give 
our.consent to it here, without a full convic¬ 
tion that it is right, merely because it 1ms 
passed the other house, by declining to do 
our duty, on the. most important occasion 
" Inch can ever preset;i itself, and w here our 
nor interposition,for many obvious reasons, would 
be_peculiarly proper, we, in effect, annihilate 
this branch of the legislature, aiul vote our¬ 
selves useless. Or, if by passing this bill, wc 
meani to justify those who in America, and 
even in Great Britain, have treated a series of 
British acis of parliament as so many acts of 
tyranny and oppression, which ii is scarcely 
criminal to resist; or those officers of the 
crown, who, under the eye, and with the 
knowledge of government, have taken upon 
themselves w hilst the parliament was sitting., 
without its consent, to suspend the execution 
of the Stamp Act, by admitting ships from 







ihe cotonies,with unstamped clearances, to 
an entry, in direct violation of it, which from 
the papers upon our table, appears to have 
bee done; we shall then give our approba- 
tio to an open breach of the first article of 
that great palladium of our liberties, the bill 
ot Rights; by which it is declared k> that the 
pretended power of suspending of laws, or 
the execution of laws by legal authority, 
without consent of parliament, is illegal 
Lastly, if we ground our proceedings upon 
the opinion of those who have contended in 
this house, that from the constitution of our 
Colonies they ought never to be taxed, even 
fbr tlu ir own immediate defence, wef ar that 
such a declaration, by which near a fifth pait 
of* the subjects of Great Britain, w ho by the 
acts of parliament to restrain the pressing of 
seamen in America are already exempted 
from famishing men-to our navy, are to be for 
ever exempt'd from contributing their share 
towards their own support in money likewise, 
will,from the flagrant partiality and injustice 
of it, either depopulate this kingdom, or shake 
the basis of equality, and of that original com¬ 
pact upon which every society is founded : 
and as we believe that there is no instance of 
such a permanent exemption of so large a 
body of the subjects of any state, in any histo¬ 
ry, ancient or modern, we are extremely ap¬ 
prehensive of the fatal consequences of this 
unhappy measure; to which for these reas-ms 
in addition to those contained in the Protest 
of the 11th of this month, our duty to the King 
and iustiee to our country, oblige us to enter 


this our solemn dissent.— 
Temple, 

Abercom, 

Marlborough, 

Sandwich, 

Charles Carlisle, 
Weymouth, 

Thomas Bri to!, 

W. Gloucester. 
Buckinghamshire 
R. D 11 resme, 

Scarsdale, 

J. BaDgor, 

Dudley and Ward. 
Suffolk and Berkshire, 


-( Signed) 
Leigh, 
Bridgewater, 
Gower, 
Grosvenor, 
Powis, 
Trevor, 
Hyde. 

Ker, 

Lyttlctoii, 

Essex, 

Ferrers, 

Ayiesford, 

Vert-, 

Eglingtoun. 


A list of the Lords who voted against the Re 
peal'of the American Stamp Act, March 
10, 1765. , , „ 

His royal highness, the Duke of Yoru, first 
brother to the King. 

Duke of Beaufort. 

Duke of Bedford. Protested. 

Duke of Marlborough. Protested. 

Duke of Ancaster, Master of the horse to the 

queen. * ^ . 

Duke of Bridgewater.. Protested. 

Earl of Pembroke, colonel of the first regi¬ 
ment of dragoons. 

Earlof SufFo k and Berkshire. Protested. 

Earl of Denbigh, a lord of the king’s bed 
chamber. 

Earl of Sandwich, Protested. 

Earl of Litchfield, captain of the band ot 
pensioners, Sie. * 

Earl of Coventry, a lord of the king s bctl- 
ehainJier. Protested. 


Earl of Oxford, a lord of the king's beehaiu- 
ber. 

Earl Ferrers, a captain in the royal navy. 
Protested. 

Earlof Ayiesford. Protested. 

Earl of Halifax. Protested. 

Earl of tlacclesfiehl. 

Earl Ker {Duke of Roxburgh in Scotland;) 
Protested. 

Earl Waldegrave, governor of Plymouth, and 
colonel of the second regiment of dragoons- 
Protested. 

Earl of Orford.a lord of the king’s bedcham¬ 
ber, and ranger of St. James’s and Hyde 
Parks. 

Earl of Warwick. 

Earl Gower. Protested. 

Earl of Buckinghamshire ,a lord of the kingk 
bedchamber. Protested.. 

Earl of Powis. Protested. 

Earl of Northumberland, vice-admiral of rdl 
America. 

Earl Temple. Protested. 

Earl Havcourt, chamberiain to the queen, 

Earl of Guildfoid. 

Earl Talbot, steward .of the king’s household. 
Viscount Say and Self. 

Viscount Townshend, lieut. gen. of the ord.- 
nanc, ,and col. of the twenty-eighth vegi-. 
ment of foot. Protested. 

Viscount Weymouth. Protested. 

Viscount Bobngbroke. Protested. 

Viscount Wentworth. Protest- d. 

Viscount Dudley anti Ward. Protested. 

Lord Le Despencer. Lord Botetourt— 

Lord Leigh. Protested. Lord Byron. 

Lord Trevor. Protested. Lord M'ontibrt. 
Lord Vere. Protested. 

Lord Hyde. Protested. 

Lord Mansfield, chief justice of the king%E 
bench. 

Lord Lyttleton. Protested. 

Lord Grosvenor. Protested. 

Lord Sc-ardsdale. Protested. 

I,ord Beaulieu. 

EarlofEgnngtuun, a lord of the king’s bed*--- 
chamber. Protested. 

Earl of Abercom. Protested. 

Earl of Loudon, governor of Edinburgh 
Castle, and col. of the 30th regiment offoot, 
Earl of March, a lord of the king’s bedeham.- 
Ear! of Bute, ranger of Richmond Park. 

Lord Cathcart, first lord of polic-ein Scotland- 
Bishop of Durham. Protested second protest.. 
Bishop of Chester. Bishop of Rochester. 
Bishop of Bangor. Protests d. 

Bishop of Gloucester. Protested. 

Bishop of Carlisle. Protested. 

Bishop of Bristol, Protested. 62. 

Proxies. 

Duke of Cleveland, comptroller of the seal,. 
8cc. 

Earl of Essex. Protested second protest. 

Earl of Tankerville. 

Earl of Darlington, master of the Jewel Of¬ 
fice, and governor of Carlisle. 

I Lord Craven. Lord Fortescue. Lord Vernon 
Earl of Sutherland, colonel of a battalion of 
Highlanders. 

F.ayl of Rothes, col. of the third regiment o-' 
foot guards, governor ofDimcannon^&e 
Bishop of Hereford. 10 s. 







mst o» tapers contained in THE PRECEDING COLLECTION. 


0/the r ‘ rst Jictfor raM "Z a Rtvem “ « Oit Colonies 
P 


King s Speech, Nov. 15, 1763 
Common’s Address of Thanks 
Hesolutjons of March 10,1764 
Resolutions of March 13, 1764 
Notices of the Resolutions - 


13 

13 

13 

14 
14 


Preamble to the Act of 4 Geo. 3 eh 

Extracts from the Act 
Notices of the Act , 

King’s Speed), April 19, 1764 


15, 15 
15, 16 
15, 16 
- 17 


mans, Oct. 18, 1764 
Lt l ~65 <r0m NeW York A gent, Feb. 


t> ,• * Petitions and Remonstrances of the Colonies in 17 c i 
proceedings of New York Assembly 17 mans Oci , . 1/6d - 

Memorial of the Merchants of New York * ° ' 18 . 176a 

to the House of Commons, Arnil 20 . 

3754 - - J . 17*21 

Address of New York Assembly to Lt. 

Governor. September 11 , J 704 - 02 

Petition of New York to the King, Oct. 18, ~~ 

1764 - „ 9o_25 

Petition of New York to the Lords, Ocn 
18, 1764 - - - ’ 26 27 

Representation of New York to the Com- 


28-30 

9, 

Pennon of Massachusetts to the Cora- 31 
raons, Nov. 3 , 1764 . . 

Address of Virginia to the King, Dec. 


Memorial of \ irginia to the Lords,’Dec, 


33 

33 


36 


Remonstrance of Virginia to the’com¬ 
mons, Dec. 1764 . . _ 31 

Ki i i.e.S|,ei ; d,,J«n,,o l7 ‘tlmn L^uh, S , amp Att . 

Letters from J. Mauduit, Feb. 9 and” 
Feb. 19, 1765 - . ’ . ’ a,ul 

Letter from London, Feb. 8 , 1765 ’ , 39 

Zu ™m, T bw . ° f 

Cost of Stamps - - 40 

* - 40 


Addresses of Thanks 
Sir Robert Walpole's opinion on Ameri 
can Taxation - - - 36 

Proceedings in Parliament on the Stamp J 

Act -.. 

37 


King’s Speech, May 25, 1765 

Virginia Circle,,', 

Representation of the Board of Trade, M; ssadms m 1765 

„ ou - se of «j « 

r Some of the Proceedings in ""Colonies, ’in op^osL, to AeU ffpl 


41 

42 


R. I. Instructions, August 


Providenc 

J3,1765 . . 43 

Little Compton, R. I. Instructions, Au¬ 
gust 27, 1765 - - - 44 

Newport, R. I. Instiuctions,Sept.3, 1765 44 
Rhode Island Resolutions, Sept. 16,1765 45 
Pennsylvania Resolutions, Sept. 21,1795 45 
Maryland Resolutions, Sept. 28 , 1765 46 

Plymouth, Mass. Instructions, Oct. 21 
1705 - - r 47 

Massachusetts Resolutions, Oet. 29, 1765 48 
Connecticut Resolutions, Oet. 1765 . - 49 

South Carolina Resolutions, Nov. 29 ,1765 51 


New Yo,T y ri R<S ? !Uti0nS ’ Nov - 30 < 1765 50 
a . .. \ 01 k . Resolutions, Dec. 18 , 1765 5-7 

’ ment.Oci ^° 1 , Vic npor,atation A fT^e- 


53 


niem, Oct. 31,1765 

Ikm'S. 7 f Agree- 

94 

Agreement of the Sons of’Liberty of 55 
1765 Y ° t k and Connecticut, Dec? 25 , 

* “ 5o 


t/ i L y /I • , ' * 4 4 « l til e)l. I/OO m 

Vi. f irst Jimerican Congress Ju>/rl , „ 

Members of the Congress - 0 57 r c ^ € * 0r : > ^ r/ - 17G5 

Declaration of Rights - . 58 ^ nom New Hampshire, Jur 


Declaration of Rights 
Letter of C. Rodin y, Oct. 20 , 1765 
Petition to the K ng 
Memorial to the Lords 
Petition to the Commons - 
Notice of Proceedings r 


58 

58 

59 

60 
61 
60 


J une 29, 


King’s Speech, Dec. 17, 1765 
Addresses of Thanks 
List of British Ministers, 1763 and 1765 
King’s Speech, Jan. 14, 1766 
Notice of proceedings of Ministry 
Addtesses of Thanks 
Proceedings of Parliament, on Repeal of 
Stamp Act - . .* 6g _ 7 - 

Fetition of London Merchants, Ian 17 

69 


LeJS 5 ;° m Sept. 6 ,1765 

2oTl76j Ma, V and D f ] ^ates, Oct. 

Ftb!"l^fi766 ReaS ° nS f ° r his dissent, 
VII. Stamp J, ct 

xtiacts from Newspapers 

Resolutions of Commons - 
Act B' pea ing Stamp Act 
Declaratory Act 

?™*»” brfoiell, 


63 

63 

63 

65 


66 

66 

67 

68 
68 
69 


70-72 

74 

75 

76 
e 

- 77-S6 


House of Commons. Feb 1766 . -7 

1 st rotr st of the Lords. Marcli 11 1769 o« 

2 d Protest of the Lords, Varch 17 \Vm 00 
I.,M of Lor,I, ,vl,„ ,oM aUL, “he 89 

Repeal of the Stamp Act ! 10 


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